A scheme which sees hundreds of thousands of pounds provided to make Norfolk's roads safer will continue next year, Reform leaders at County Hall have confirmed.
The commitment to the long-running Parish Partnerships scheme - which sees Norfolk County Council match-fund money from parish and town councils for road safety schemes - comes amid controversy over the decision by the Reform administration to axe a separate fund which councillors could access for road schemes.
One of the first acts of the party, which formed an administration at County Hall after May's elections, was to ditch the Local Member Fund. This had allowed each of the 84 county councillors to spend up to £11,000 on small-scale highways schemes.
Reform leaders said the money would be put to better use by adding it to the overall pot for highways maintenance, such as fixing potholes.
But opposition councillors expressed concern that, with the council needing to find savings, the separate Parish Partnerships scheme could also be axed.
However, Robin Hunter-Clarke, the deputy leader of the council, has written to parish and town councils to reassure them the scheme will continue next year and that they will soon be able to bid for money.
In his letter to the councils, Mr Hunter-Clarke said the scheme was "an excellent example" of collaboration between County Hall and both town and parish councils.
He said: "As Norfolk continues to navigate significant changes in local government, it is more important than ever that the voices of town and parish councils are heard."
Mr Hunter-Clarke said such councils had "invaluable" knowledge, experience and understanding of communities.
The initiative started in 2011, with hundreds of roads made safer.
The commitment comes as political opponents continued their criticism about the scrapping of the local member fund.
At a recent council meeting, Reform's Nick Taylor said he had issues in his Sprowston division tackled by talking to highways officers.
That prompted Antony Little, who won the Old Catton division for the Conservatives at last month's by-election, to ask whether that approach would work for all councillors, or only for those in Reform and Great Yarmouth First.
Council leader David Bick said he declined to take that question seriously - a response which Mr Little said was "crass".
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