Cheers for all the comments Most helpful.

Council obviously think that cars don't need repairing

We are in the process of buying the house. Every one down the road is private and has been for the past 30 years, this is the only council house left.

If we buy this, then we can apply to get road humps etc and bring the standard of the area up a bit

Ah well, till then i'll just have to bite my tongue and take the shafting coucil is gonna give me