COMPENSATION claims by people who have tripped over pavements or damaged their cars on potholes in the Medway area have risen by 50 per cent in the last year.

Medway council had claims of £86,000 against it in the financial year 2000/01, and with seven weeks still to run in this financial year that figure is already up to £127,000.

Because the increase is so rapid, the council has made plans to send highways staff to special training seminars to help them deal with claims. The rise comes as a forum advising the public sector on risk management revealed councils are paying up to £120 million a year in compensation.

No-win-no-fee law firms are behind the rise in people suing councils over highways accidents, according to the Alarm forum. This theory is backed up by the rise in claims against Medway. But despite this, the council is actually likely to pay out less.

The council paid out £25,000 in the last financial year and just £10,000 so far this year. A council spokesman said: "The amount claimed for does not necessarily mean that Medway has bad roads and pavements, but as the national information suggests there is an increase in litigation culture.

"The council is taking positive steps to reduce its losses, hopefully running a seminar for highways staff later in the year to help prepare for claims."

Sheila Boyce, the chief executive of Alarm, said compensation payouts and the cost of investigating bogus claims could push up complaints. She said: "There is no wish on the part of the local authorities to deny where they have done wrong or to run away from it.

"But if we could see the wood for the trees we could deal much more effectively with the claims where there is a genuine fault. It would be much less destructive in terms of morale for those who are setting out to provide these services."

A recent investigation by BBC Radio 5 Live surveyed a number of councils and most said claims had increased. But they maintained it was because people were becoming more litigious and because standards were dropping.