Councillors will investigate gritting crisis, Teesdale Mercury

SENIOR councillors will assess how Durham County Council coped with last winter’s severe weather.

A salt shortage led the council to ration grit, with only priority routes being treated. The council’s ruling cabinet is to receive a report on the issue.

A committee found that council teams coped well with the problems associated with the bad weather, but made a series of recommendations for future winters. Suggestions include:

A review of the pre-salting routes to include main roads into villages and all bus routes to enable safe access to places of work, essential services and local amenities.

Introducing a salt bin numbering system to record the filling of bins.

A review of the contracts and conditions of farmers who help council officers salt roads during winter months. The number of farmers employed also needs to increase and discussions should take place as to whether farmers can help with refuse collections in winter months.

To work more closely with parish and town councils to ensure priority footpaths are treated.

To liaise with neighbouring councils about winter maintenance at boundaries.

To work alongside housing associations and housing management organisations to identify areas where there are significant numbers of older people to ensure they are not isolated in periods of bad weather.

To develop the use of a handyperson to undertake winter maintenance for elderly and vulnerable groups.

Cllr Dan Myers, chairman of the council’s scrutiny working group on winter maintenance, said: “We found that the management and teams performed well in spite of a national shortage of salt.

“We have highlighted areas where we feel improvements could be made for future winters but I am also very conscious of the worsening national financial climate that will have to be taken into account.”

The ideas will be considered by council officers after the report has been received at the meeting today (Wednesday).