YOUR article, “Council faces huge payout in road compensation bids” (Echo, Oct 30), made strong inference that Darlington Borough Council was due to make “huge”

compensation payments of up to £650,000 due to a “series of gaffes” relating to management of the Eastern Transport Corridor road building.

This is wrong, and the inference and manner of reporting misrepresents the council’s position.

Under the Land Compensation Act, house owners near a new, large public sector development may be entitled to make a claim to reflect any house value impact. Payments are negotiated with individual owners, or their agents, where there is a clear and ongoing impact from the road of such things as additional noise, vibration or reduction in air quality.

In line with this, a budget was set aside for these payments as part of the project management and is included in all financial reporting on this matter. The negotiation and settlements will be no different in structure to those anywhere else where private property is impacted upon by a public project.

Also, the quoted summary figure of £650,000 is seemingly arbitrary and not based on fact.

To infer these payments in any way relate to poor project management by the council is wrong. Your report seemingly seeks to sensationalise good practice and adherence to the law.

Cliff Brown, Director, Community Services, Darlington Borough Council.