To respond to the ‘Scrutiny Review of the Impact of Winter Weather December 2009 – February 2010 and the Response to it’.

The Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny was invited to present the report of the Scrutiny Review of the Impact of Winter Weather December 2009 to February 2010.  Thanks were expressed to the members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for undertaking the review and to officers for providing information.

The report outlined five key areas which the Overview and Scrutiny Committee believed the Council should consider when seeking to improve the response to future episodes of severe weather; these were the Council’s role as: Community Leader, Service Provider, Commissioner of Services, Employer and Partner.  Overarching these areas was the importance of communications and the proposal to provide a central communications point which would better facilitate timely information flows.

The Leader welcomed the report and endorsed the thanks to all the members and officers involved.  He stated the importance of gaining clarity on certain matters, such as legal responsibilities of individuals and businesses for snow and ice clearance, advice which would be appropriate for Government to provide.  He additionally commented on the need for Government departments to act pragmatically in severe weather situations.  The example was given of HM Customs and Excise issuing a reminder to farmers during the severe snow to ensure farm vehicles, when assisting with road clearances, ran on white, not red diesel.  In the era of the Big Society when communities were encouraged to help themselves, such messages would not be helpful.

The Cabinet Member Highways and Transportation advised Cabinet:

• that the Winter Plan 2010/11 has been revised and updated.  The Plan covered as many eventualities as possible and encompassed matters such as access routes, buses routes, schools. 
• Preparation for the winter season had already begun with salt bins being filled.
• That the Government had advised all local authorities that they could not use as much salt as was used during Winter 2009/10.  There would be a need to spread the salt as thinly as possible to achieve as much as possible.

Cabinet welcomed the report and emphasised the need to monitor progress on actions.

An additional recommendation (d, below) was proposed and accepted for consideration.

RESOLVED that:

(a)      the Committee be thanked for undertaking a comprehensive review and producing an excellent report;

(b)     The Executive joins with the Committee in recognising and commending the considerable efforts made in response to the winter problems;

(c)      All thirty recommendations be agreed and implemented within existing budgetary provision; and

(d)     HM Government be lobbied to provide clarity and legislation on the responsibility for snow/ice clearance for both individuals and businesses.