Issue - meetings

To receive a report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport and the Interim Director of Highways, Transportation and Waste and to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport on proposed changes to the Winter Service Policy for 2015/16

Carol Valentine, Highway Manager, introduced the report which asked the committee to endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, on proposed changes to the Winter Service Policy for 2015/16.

She referred in particular to the following: 

      i.        The past two years Kent has seen an average winter with no snow days.

    ii.        Kent Officers were trialling liquid de-icer and would monitor the results of this trial.

   iii.        The current weather forecast service expired in May 2015. A procurement process is being undertaken to find a new supplier. The contract was put to tender on 13 July.

   iv.        Ms Valentine emphasised that the Highway Operations winter service team had a good working relationship with Highways England.

Andrew Loosemore, Deputy Director Highways, Transportation and Waste, was also in attendance and stated he was happy with the content of the report and thanked Ms Valentine and the team for all of their hard work on the Winter Service Policy for 2015/2016.

In response to comments made and questions raised by members, Ms Valentine confirmed the following:

      i.        The allocated budget had been based on an average winter.

    ii.        Roads on new developments that l need to be included on the primary network for the purpose of salting runs will be added to the primary route maps once those roads had been formally adopted by the County Council .That parish councils would be contacted early to discuss their areas requirements for salt bags

   iii.        That five new vehicles had been acquired for the purpose of salting narrow roads.

   iv.        The Winter Service webpage on Kent County Council’s website would advise on the Winter Service Policy and a link to this webpage would be provided to Committee members after the meeting.

Mr Balfour, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, clarified that the routes used for salting runs will be looked at regularly and there would be appropriate prioritisation when determining these routes. This would take into account new housing developments.

It was RESOLVED that the changes to the Winter Service Policy for 2015/16 be endorsed.