Somebody must know why they can't fix our highways properly

I've just managed to catch the Town Council Transport committee minutes of 5th September 2011 before they disappear into the ether. (Why can't they archive them, it really isn't rocket science in this day and age - make me an offer!)

County road repair costs make interesting reading.

It seems it costs around £22 per square metre to hot-roll asphalt a road similar to Lower Kings Road which has just been done.

It costs between £15 and £20 per square metre to patch and stick a bit of tarmac on a road which hasn't had proper maintenance for years - like Hazel Road, Castle Street or Tresco Road.

Without going into minute calculations, it looks like it's more cost effective to spend £22 per metre and do a decent job rather than spending 75% of this and end up with something that will last (without attention) a third of the time. Still what do I know? Do you know better?