Truthful answers to gritting problem sought

The Council has faced severe criticism for the dangerous state of roads and pavements during the past three weeks of snow and ice due to a lack of gritting; tonight at the Full Council meeting councillors and members of the public watching from the public gallery were told the promised ‘review’ is tomorrow (Thursday 14 January) morning.

Many pertinent questions were asked at the meeting by Labour and Conservative councillors but few answers were forthcoming, with each Lib Dem portfolio holder being, in the main, evasive and referring questioners to "the review".

Labour Leader Colin Lambert wanted to know “at the beginning of December how many tons of salt/grit was stockpiled for Rochdale Borough in readiness for winter weather conditions where were these stocks located?”

New leader of the Lib Dems/new Council Leader Councillor Irene Davidson said there were 900 tonnes at the beginning of December. The Council had attempted to order a further 8000 tonnes but had only been successful in acquiring 2000 tonnes to replenish stocks.

Later in the meeting, in answer to a question about financing for extra supplies of grit, Councillor Greg Couzens said that the recommendation was for councils to have 12 days worth of salt in stock and that Rochdale had, at the beginning of December, 12 days of stock.

It was quickly pointed out that Councillors Davidson and Couzens couldn’t both be right, given the Council has previously claimed to be spreading 200 tonnes a day it would need 2,400 tonnes in stock to claim it had 12 days stock and yet Councillor Davidson said that only 900 tonnes were in stock at the beginning of December.

Conservative councillors complained that such contradicting answers had been the stock in trade from the council over the past few weeks and called for the review to look closely into the poor quality of information being fed to the public.

Labour ‘s Councillor Lil Murphy asked: “Does the leader believe that the management of the winter road maintenance contract has been completed successfully over the last few weeks, if not can Council tax payers have their money back and can we cancel the contract with those responsible?”

Councillor Davidson said this was the first year that Impact Partnership, who are contracted by the Council to manage, amongst other things, the borough’s highways, had been responsible for management and the first year that Balfour Beatty, who are contracted by Impact Partnership to do the work of maintaining the borough’s highways, had been responsible fro gritting and the review would be looking at their performance.

Labour’s Robin Parker told the meeting that a Middleton resident had taken three hours to travel to the salt store at Entwistle Road on Saturday 19 December, when the first of the deep snow fell, but was told on arrival that there was no grit left, all stocks had been used. Councillor Parker wanted to know why the Council media team were briefing that there was sufficient salt in stock when members of the public were being told by those on the front line that there wasn’t.

Councillor Jonathan Burns also wanted to know: “Why did it take nearly two weeks to deploy Environmental services staff (who were not able to do their normal duties because of the weather) to assist with clearance of paths and pedestrian areas of our town centres, does the leader of council agree that this represents a failure of management and leadership by the Council?”

Councillor Lambert also expressed his concern about grit bins not being filled and asked: “When did the Cabinet take the decision not to replenish grit bins that have been placed strategically across the borough to assist residents and shopkeepers in past years, would it not be good practice to replenish the bins at the beginning of the winter season? Few if any have yet been replenished even now?”

Councillor Williams remarked on the numerous reports of gritting wagons being out on the roads giving the impression of gritting but not spreading any grit.

Councillor Davidson promised that all such questions could be asked at the ‘review’.

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Lambert said he hoped that answers to the questions would be more forthcoming at the review than they were from the Council Leader at the Council meeting, and that truthful answers would be given, without “spin and gloss”.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/34759/council-to-review-gritting-performance