Agenda item

(To receive a report from Richard Fenwick, Alliance Works Contract Manager, which invites the Committee to consider an end of year report on winter service)

The Committee received a report in connection with an end of year report on winter maintenance for the winter of 2018/19. Officers explained the replacement of the use of white salt by treated brown salt, the improved audit of salt bins which had led to improved maintenance of the bins and that there would be a review of the current "Precautionary Salting Network" as more roads came on line.

Comments by members and the responses of officers included:-

·         It was noted that the number of requests for roads to be added to the salting network had been eight last winter which might have been due to the mild winter. Officers agreed that this might have been the reason for the low number of requests.

·         Grit bins not being used could be due to the mild winter. Officers agreed to feed this response back to the Resilience Team.

·         Officers stated that all schools were treated within 500 metres of their entrance during periods of severe weather. The Council was able to use smaller gritters to use on some routes where appropriate. Officers agreed to clarify this issue with the Resilience Team and respond to members.

·         Personal attacks on drivers of grit vehicles on social media should be countered and the Council's Communications section should be consulted on the best way to tackle this issue. Officers agreed that this was a good idea and stated that they were already in consultation with the contractor about this matter.

·         Some Parish Councils had purchased their own bins. What was the position in connection with the filling of these bins? The Executive Councillor stated that the Council was able to provide grit bins to Parish Councils to enable them to fill their own bins. The Executive Councillor stated that grit stolen from bins was a big issue in some areas.

·         Officers stated that not all bus routes were gritted and that if they were this would necessitate the removal of other routes from the network. A full review of the route network was not currently being undertaken but would likely to be required in future.

·         In some cases, Parish Councils had purchased their own bins to store salt but there was the question of servicing and cost.

·         Officers stated that currently it was more cost effective to purchase gritting vehicles especially as interest rates were so low and the Council was able to extend their service through maintenance. Officers added that the vehicles were only used during inclement winter weather their annual mileage was quite low. Officers stated that when the lease period came up for review this provided an opportunity to examine if the lease should be extended.

RESOLVED

(a)  That the report be received.

(b)  That the review of the current gritting route, the need to the Council's Communications section to investigate attacks on grit drivers in social media and that the servicing by the Council of additional salt bins bought by Parish Councils would need to be considered in the review of the current salting network.