A Perth and Kinross councillor has expressed shock after it emerged that only a fraction of drivers who claimed for pothole damage to their vehicles received compensation. Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) paid out for just nine of the 291 claims submitted over the past two years, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) response obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Claims data revealed
The FOI data showed that in 2024/25, PKC received 84 claims, rising sharply to 207 in 2025/26. The council paid out a total of £2,172.21 for seven claims in 2024/25 and £735.89 for two claims in 2025/26. Liability was denied for 75 claims in 2024/25 and 24 in 2025/26. Two claims from 2024/25 remained under review, along with 181 from the following year.
At a meeting of the Scrutiny and Performance Committee on June 3, Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Robertson, who represents Kinross-shire, said he was "totally shocked" by the low payout rate. Kinross-shire accounted for a quarter of all pothole claims in 2025/26, the highest of any ward.
Councillors share experiences
Conservative councillor Keith Allan from Strathallan revealed he had personally been denied compensation. "I have personal experience of our insurers not playing the game. I think we need to have a good look at it," he said. Independent convener Colin Stewart agreed the payout percentage seemed low and asked for suggestions on next steps.
Cllr Robertson proposed that councillors receive a detailed breakdown of claims and reasons for refusal to help inform future claimants. "There must be a consistent reason why so many claims are not being met. I think it would be helpful to know why claims are being rejected in such a huge way," he said. He noted that the claims process is laborious, requiring photographs and witness statements, so people do not submit frivolous claims.
SNP councillor Jack Welch from Strathmore shared his own experience of submitting two claims after suffering extensive damage to nearly new tyres. Both were refused. He received explanations: one pothole was off the road surface and not the council's responsibility; another appeared after a statutory inspection found no defect. He was thanked for reporting the pothole, which was quickly repaired.
Insurance responsibility questioned
Conservative councillor Angus Forbes queried whether refusal decisions were made by PKC or its insurance company. He wondered if payouts would affect premiums. Following discussion, convener Colin Stewart called for officers to provide a breakdown of refusal reasons, a comparison with other local authorities, and clarity on where responsibility for payouts lies. A sit-down discussion with council staff was unanimously agreed upon.
