REPAVING in Winchester city centre has not been completed for six months because of difficulties finding the matching stones, a meeting heard.

A councillor raised concern about repaving following work in Winchester city centre's paved High Street and Square.

Cllr Ian Tait said two separate patches areas of tarmac that had been left for more than six months.

He asked Winchester City Council in a meeting of full council what rules contractors had to follow when working in this area.

Leader Cllr Stephen Godfrey said the county council had specific rules about repairs when utility companies needed to repair or do improvements and those companies were bound to comply with this.

He said they had to match the existing paving with York stone.

However, in areas where the materials were unusual, as in the High Street, he said firms were allowed six months to make good the area after repairs.

Cllr Godfrey said that he understood the companies involved in these cases had had difficulty getting the right stones so had been given more time, however he said he would press for the work to be completed.