Political opinion Steve Yemm MP: Smarter repairs, stronger services — Why efficiency matters

When people see potholes on their roads, it’s about more than just an inconvenience — it’s a sign that public money isn’t being used as efficiently as it should be.

Last week, I welcomed a demonstration in Mansfield of new pothole repair technology — an example of how modern techniques can fix problems properly the first time, saving time, money, and frustration. But this isn’t just about one machine. It’s about a broader lesson: we need to make the whole public sector work smarter, not harder.

Right now, too much public money is spent on short-term fixes that fail, leading to repeated costs. In a time of tight budgets, we simply can’t afford that. Every pound wasted on doing the same job twice is a pound that isn’t available for vital services like support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Efficiency must be the new watchword across local government. That doesn’t mean cutting services — it means delivering them properly, first time, and planning for the long term. It means investing in new technologies, better processes, and proven methods that make public services faster, stronger, and better value for money.

Residents rightly expect public services that are reliable and effective. Whether it’s roads, schools, social care or healthcare, the basics must be done properly — not papered over.

There’s a better way to deliver for our communities. Smarter repairs on our roads are just one part of it. Building a more efficient public sector will help protect the frontline services that people depend on — and make sure taxpayers’ money delivers the real results local people deserve.