Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Built Environment

Further to Minute No. 32 of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) held on 20 September 2011 the Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Built Environment on the proposed revisions to the current Winter Service Policy.

The report indicated that whilst current practice ensured that the Policy was reviewed after each winter, a more detailed consultation process had been undertaken this year as a result of the extreme weather events experienced in Sefton during December 2010; that Cabinet had already approved the purchase of additional snow plough blades for both carriageway and footway gritters; and that in the light of events in December 2010 and taking into account the comments made during the consultation process, an options paper had been produced and sent to all elected Members and Parish Councils seeking their views on the options.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the revised Winter Service Policy document as shown in Annex B to the report be approved;

(2)       the involvement of the Cabinet Member - Transportation and Spokespersons in influencing the response to the existing Policy be noted and the Cabinet Member - Transportation be authorised in consultation with the Director of Built Environment to deviate from policy where justified and appropriate, and any such deviation be reported back to Cabinet at its next meeting;

(3)       the options numbered 2 to 8 and 10 to 11 in Section 4 of the report be approved to enhance the Winter Service Policy; and

(4)            subject to resolution 2 above, the Director of Built Environment be authorised to make any further revisions to the Winter Service Policy and Operational Plan in consultation with the Cabinet Member - Transportation.