Issue - meetings

This report details the proposed amendments to the

winter maintenance services following a review and public consultation of the road gritting and grit bin provision.

The Council’s budget setting process has identified target savings of £60k in 2014/15 from the current winter maintenance allocation of £180k. The aim of the review is to provide a safe, efficient and effective winter maintenance service that is fit for purpose.

Resolved:  (i)      That the grit bin assessment process be

                             approved.

(ii)      That Option 3 (Implement the primary gritting route, secondary gritting route and grit bin provision published in the winter maintenance consultation proposal with the addition of bus routes of 30 minutes frequencies or less in one direction and school bus routes not included in the proposed PGR)  

Reason:     By undertaking a review and consultation on the gritting and salt bin provision the Council has taken residents’ feedback and recommends option 3 to provide a safe, efficient and effective service.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services considered a report which detailed proposed amendments to the winter maintenance services following a review and public consultation on the road gritting and grit bin provision.

The Council’s budget setting process had identified target savings of £60k in 2014/15 from the current winter maintenance allocation of £180k.  The aim of the review was to provide a safe, efficient and effective winter maintenance service that was fit for purpose.

The scoring criteria that had been put in place, as detailed in paragraph 8 of the report, was noted.

The Cabinet Member gave consideration to the following options:

Option 1     Maintain the road gritting regime and highway and ward grit bin provision the same as that of the 2012/13 season.

Option 2     Implement the Primary Gritting Route (PGR), Secondary Gritting Route (SGR) and grit bin provision (158) published in the winter maintenance consultation proposal.

Option 3     Implement option 2 with the addition of bus routes of 30 minutes frequencies or less in one direction and school bus routes not included in proposed primary gritting route.  This option will reduce the number of grit bin provision to 150 due to the extension of the primary grit route.

The Cabinet Member stated that he was satisfied that option 3

presented a balance between the need to make savings and the

safety of residents.  The consultation that had been carried out had

enabled residents to put forward their views and these had been

listened to.  The grit bin assessment form, annex 1 to the report,

ensured that the criteria used was fair and transparent.  A

Community Impact Assessment had also been carried out.

Officers were thanked for the work that they had undertaken.  

Resolved:  (i)      That the grit bin assessment process be

                             approved.

(ii)      That Option 3 (Implement the primary gritting route, secondary gritting route and grit bin provision published in the winter maintenance consultation proposal with the addition of bus routes of 30 minutes frequencies or less in one direction and school bus routes not included in the proposed PGR)  

Reason:     By undertaking a review and consultation on the gritting and salt bin provision the Council has taken residents’ feedback and recommends option 3 to provide a safe, efficient and effective service.