A Kenilworth councillor was "appalled" to discover one of the new shared cycleway and footpaths to the new Kenilworth School has been dug up just weeks after being completed.

Cllr Zoe Leventhal has criticised the "waste of money and resources" used in ripping up the pavement along Leyes Lane so soon after it was laid.

The Green town councillor has asked why the utility works for the nearby housing estates under construction could not have been managed better, and started before the near paths to the school were completed in the autumn.

She said it showed a "problematic lack of joined up thinking" at Warwickshire County Council (WCC).

The footpath along Leyes Lane is completely shut off (image via Cllr Zoe Leventhal)

"I was surprised and appalled to see that the brand new shared cycleway / footway at the top of Leyes Lane - only completed about one month ago - has now been dug up again, in conjunction with utilities for the nearby housing developments," said Cllr Leventhal, who has also recently been announced as the new Green parliamentary candidate for the constituency.

"This is not an appropriate way to treat our students, who need a clear route to walk and cycle to school - and this is the main such route.

"Students had to wait for months after the new site was opened for this to happen, with no proper explanation for the delay.

"Even now, there is still a lack of pavement along Glasshouse Lane itself and no safe route along Knowle Hill."

The county council said the works were planned to follow the school safety project (image via Cllr Zoe Leventhal)

Cllr Leventhal's comments come just days ahead of a long-awaited meeting between the county council and Kenilworth Town Council, which has only come after repeated requests from the latter.

Responses to questions about the Leyes Lane works from the local authority were described as "unsatisfactory" and the Green councillor promised to raise the issue further during the meeting on Monday (December 18).

In response to a comment request from Kenilworth Nub News, a WCC spokesperson said the works were planned "in order to make permanent electrical connections to the new development".

"This work was planned to follow the works to Glasshouse Lane which support the new school development," they added.

"The utility company will make a temporary reinstatement on completion and the permanent reinstatement will take place in January."