An 11th-hour bid to use road improvement funds has seen the council build speed bumps before neighbours had a chance to have their say.

Last week Robert Sheppard, who lives in Albion Road, was surprised to see the bumps being built around Cedar Road and Eaton Road when the consultation on the works was not due to end until yesterday (Wednesday).

"They have started work without giving residents a chance to object. It is supposed to be a democratic consultation but they've already made up their mind to carry out the work," he said.

The council said it rushed to get the work started so it could use up money donated by B&Q as part of its planning application, which had to be used by February 2008.

But it had eight years to use up the funds - as the planning application was approved in 2000.

A council spokeswoman said it had rushed through the scheme without proper consultation because an earlier consultation for a 20 mph zone in the same area had received a positive response from residents.

"Although work on highway schemes does not normally start until after statutory consultations have been completed, in this instance it was decided to begin site work on the scheme a week early because the overwhelming majority of residents were in favour of the 20mph zone in the first consultation, and funding would have been lost if work had been delayed until February," she said.

But Mr Sheppard said the decision smacked of double standards.

"It is very arrogant of the council to do this. If I had starting building work on my house without getting planning permission I would get in trouble with the council, but this is exactly what it has done with this scheme," he said.