Issue - items at meetings - Highways Winter Service Plan 2011-12

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

2.1       That the Cabinet Member for Environment & Sustainability approves the Brighton & Hove City Council HighwaysWinter Service Plan 2011/12 as attached at Appendix A to this report.

37.1               Councillor West considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place concerning the council’s 2011-12 Highways Winter Service Plan.

37.2               Councillor West thanked officers for their work on the Service Plan and also for their ongoing work during adverse weather conditions. He stated that the council response had improved considerably during the last winter and that the improvements recommended by the scrutiny panel had been implemented. He reported that the new gritters had been received and would further improve the council’s response to snowfall.

37.3               The Head of Highway Operations summarised the report and explained that the Service Plan also served as a business continuity tool. She reported that significant changes had been implemented since 2009 and that it was necessary to continue working collaboratively with partner organisations during adverse winter weather. She advised that there were no plans to increase the number of grit bins because it would not be possible to fill more than the existing amount, but there were already sufficient numbers throughout the city.

37.4               Councillor Peltzer Dunn congratulated officers on the improvements made and thanked the scrutiny panel, which had demonstrated the value of Overview & Scrutiny involvement in policy review and development.

37.5               Councillor Morgan reported that the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee had recently reviewed the Service Plan and thanked officers for their work. He highlighted the need for the area surrounding the new Whitehawk Hub to be added to the gritting list due the number of community services.

37.6               The Head of Highway Operations added that no new roads had been added to the list for gritting because, although the new gritters would be better, they would not be faster; however, the Whitehawk Hub area was a priority area for pavement clearing.

37.7               Councillor West noted the concerns about the Whitehawk Hub area and advised that the council would continue to learn from its experiences. He urged councillors to engage with their constituents during the winter to help them understand how they can help themselves during heavy snowfall.

37.8               RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the following recommendations were accepted:

(1)         That the Cabinet Member for Environment & Sustainability approves the Brighton & Hove City Council HighwaysWinter Service Plan 2011/12 as attached at Appendix A to this report.