Shropshire highways chief defends winter preparedness plan amid criticism
A councillor in charge of highways in Shropshire has defended how the council tackled the snowy conditions in the county after critics claimed grit bins were not being filled.
People reportedly needed hospital treatment for broken bones after slipping on ice in Ellsmere during the height of Storm Goretti earlier this month.
However, according to Councillor Geoff Elner, Shropshire Council was unable to help residents with their requests for salt and help.
“Residents contacted me in desperation because their requests to Shropshire Council for salt and help were not forthcoming: requests on Fix my Street were not acted on quickly if at all,” said Cllr Elner.
“Currently, there is no point whatsoever in having snow wardens because the current salt bins are empty, and it’s unsure if and when they will be refilled.
“The big question is who will pay for the containers and the salt?
“The system has always worked for many years. If salt is available in local locations, the community have always helped one another and treated their area.”
Cllr Elner attended this week’s Cabinet meeting to ask Shropshire Council why its winter preparedness plan was not followed this year.
“The gritting team as usual did a good job other than that the plan failed,” he said.
“Who is responsible for initiating the plan? Why were the council not prepared for winter weather, snow and ice?
“Why were so many salt boxes empty? Why had they not been refilled from the previous winter? Who should have monitored the levels, but didn’t.”
In response, Councillor David Vasmer, portfolio holder for highways, said there has no change to the approach, and if anything its plan has been strengthened.
He added that there are around 2,400 grit bins at key locations across the county, all of which were visited and re-stocked prior to the winter period.
A total of 844 bins have been re-filled since the start of November, said Cllr Vasmer.
“We always review the winter service following each winter period and will be capturing any concerns and feeding them into that process,” he said.
In response, Cllr Elner asked why clerks “are in the dark.”
“I’ve got clerks telling me that they advise their residents to write to Shropshire Council when they’ve requested a salt bin, and Shropshire Council have written back to residents saying, ‘it’s nothing to do with us, you need to talk to your local town council’,” said Cllr Elner.
“So, there seems to be some confusion. That is what is really annoying me.
“I think everybody needs to know exactly what should happen, and make sure it does. What is the system?”
Cllr Vasmer said the plan will be discussed at future Cabinet meetings, and 20 grit bins in Ellesmere town centre will be hopefully filled by the end of the week.
