Victorian street paving ripped out during a rush job to use up last year's city council budget will be relaid following an outcry from residents.

David Walker

Oxford City Council has been criticised after it admitted taking a "shoot now, ask questions later" approach to repairs in South Street, Osney Island, off the Botley Road.

The setts -- cubic pieces of granite similar to cobbles -- were ripped from the paving gutters during the £4,500 repairs project. They will now be replaced at an extra cost of £3,000.

Workmen descended on the street in March, without warning, to take out the setts and replace broken kerbstones.

The council had decided to squeeze in one more repair project when its works department found it still had funds to spend before the end of the financial year.

It looked at possible projects and decided to rush through repairs to footpaths on the island.

The York stone kerbs were replaced with granite paving and the setts pulled out and replaced with asphalt.

Some families objected to the work being carried out without proper consultation. Following intervention from ward councillor Susanna Pressel, the council has agreed to relay the setts.

David Walker, of South Street, said: "The council was wrong. We live in a conservation area and if we want to repaint our houses we have to do it in certain colours.

"When it comes to the council doing anything, it seems it's a law unto itself."

Mr Walker said the new granite kerbstones were a huge improvement, but described the asphalt surface in place of the original setts as "horrible".

Ms Pressel, the Labour councillor for Jericho and Osney, said: "I'm not happy with the council, but I understand their reasons for doing it.

"It was a mistake to do it in such a hurry."

"I'm pleased the officers have agreed to reinstate the granite setts, although they're not all that popular with everyone -- particularly cyclists."

Andrew Burchett, city works technical support manager, said the council rushed the repairs to the "badly worn and broken kerbs and footways" so budget money would not be wasted.

He said the setts had to be removed while repairs were carried out and it would have cost £2,300 to replace them at the time of the original repairs.

Mr Burchett said: "We were in a bit of a hurry to get on with the job rather than asking around.

"Owing to residents' concerns the setts will be reinstated."

Work starts on Monday, May 19.