Issue - meetings

This report advises Members of the outcome of a review called for by a resolution at the Executive Members for City Strategy and Advisory Panel revenue budget estimates 2007/08 Committee.  The resolution required an efficiency saving of £10,000 from winter maintenance.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for City Strategy be advised to

(i)                 Note the report and approve Option 1, namely to reduce the number of self help salt bins which were disturbed around the network for the general use of the public;

(ii)                Recirculate the self help salt bin list, including those identified for removal, to members and Neighbourhood Management Officers to allow Ward Committees to consider salt bin provision in their wards.

(iii)             Not pursue Option 3 at this time.

Decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure the current Council winter maintenance policy is robust whilst ensuring the budget is expended in the most cost effective way based on the Council’s assessed priorities.

Members received a report which advised Members of the outcome of a review called for by a resolution at the Executive Members for City Strategy and Advisory Panel revenue budget estimates 2007/08 Committee. The resolution required an efficiency saving of £10,000 from winter maintenance.

Members were presented with four options:-

Option 1 - To reduce the number of self help salt bins placed around the Councils network from 436 to 186, specifically leaving only the ones frequently used over the last three winters and those funded by other parties.

Option 2 - Continue as we do at present and position all the salt bins out this coming winter and continue to monitor the situation.  This would then be reported back to Members as part of next years winter maintenance review.

Option 3 - Carry out further work regarding the removal of a number of long established carriageway routes from their winter maintenance definitive list.

Option 4 – Discontinue work on removing any long established carriageway routes from the winter maintenance definitive list.

Members requested that the salt bin list be recirculated to Members and neighbourhood management officers to ensure that salt bins were provided where residents had concerns.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for City Strategy be advised to

(i)                 Note the report and approve Option 1, namely to reduce the number of self help salt bins which were disturbed around the network for the general use of the public;

(ii)                Recirculate the self help salt bin list, including those identified for removal, to members and Neighbourhood Management Officers to allow Ward Committees to consider salt bin provision in their wards.

(iii)             Not pursue Option 3 at this time.

Decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure the current Council winter maintenance policy is robust whilst ensuring the budget is expended in the most cost effective way based on the Council’s assessed priorities.