Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council and Severn Trent Water are heading for a £850,000-plus High Court confrontation over the cost of road repairs. The council, responsible for making good roads after work is carried out by Severn Trent and which reclaims the cost of repairs, accuses the water authority of failing to pay for work it has carried out. Its writ alleges Severn Trent was sent invoices totalling £844,620 for the cost of reinstatement work carried out by 31 December 1993, but has only paid £100,000.

Writ issued by Sharpe Pritchard, London WC1, for RH Roberts, Wolverhampton.

A widow whose husband was one of three people to die in a 1992 road crash has launched a High Court action against the motorist she blames for the accident. Carole Shearman, whose husband Brian died after the crash, is suing Christopher Ashley, of Stoke on Tern, Shropshire. The accident happened on 20 November 1992 as Shearman drove a van along the A41 towards Newport, Shropshire.

Writ issued by Kidd MacLaverty & Co, Kingston-upon-Thames. S208

Desmond Dekker, of reggae band Dekker and The Aces, is taking music agents Allied Agency to the High Court in a row over alleged forgery of his signature. Dekker, suing under his real name of Desmond Dacres, is claiming nearly £18,000. The writ says Allied entered a written agreement with Dekker's agent to act as exclusive agents for The Aces for three years in return for 15 per cent of earnings from live engagements, radio and television appearances and any product endorsements. However, the writ claims that on 23 August 1994 Allied gave a change of address/bank details form to the Performing Rights Society, purportedly signed by Dekker, to induce it to pay royalties into the agents' bank account. The writ says the form was false and submitted fraudulently and recklessly, and Allied knew it was not entitled to collect Dekker's PRS royalties.

Writ issued by Fuglers, London W1.

Widow Rita Butler, of Emsworth, Hampshire, whose husband died from lung cancer in 1992 is suing his former employer, T and N plc, formerly Turner and Newall, of Trafford Park, Manchester. Her writ claims the cancer was caused by industrial disease.

Writ issued by Dyer Burdett & Co, Havant. B2459