Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

To consider the above petition, bearing 31 signatures (22 paper and 9 e-signatures) which has been submitted by Councillor Williams, a Bablake Ward  Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the petition organiser

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) concerning a petition bearing 31 signatures, 22 paper and 9 e-signatures, which was submitted by Councillor G Williams, a Bablake Ward Councillor, who attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners along with the petition organiser Mr Colin Weaver, who was also in attendance. The report had been requested by the petition organiser following receipt of a determination letter. The petition requested the return of the grit bin or the inclusion of all of Overslade Crescent on a vehicle gritting route. 

The determination letter advised that an assessment for the provision of a grit bin in Overslade Crescent yielded a score of 30 points from a maximum of 250 (the minimum score required for provision of a grit bin was 100 points), therefore there was no justification for reversing the original decision to remove the grit bin or any special circumstances to include additional sections of Overslade Crescent on a vehicle gritting route.

Gritting vehicles were only used on main roads or those that had a strategic value to the transport network, such as frequent Bus routes. Overslade Crescent included a grass area in the middle of the road. The Western side of the Crescent was a Bus route and was therefore on a gritting route, the Eastern side was not on the route and consequently was not gritted. The vast majority of unclassified roads in the City were not on a gritting route as all available Winter Service resources were at full capacity keeping the key strategic routes open during severe weather.

Councillor Williams indicated that 54 grit bins in the Bablake Ward had now been reduced to 27 following a review. He outlined his concerns regarding the removal of the bins. He understood that one side of Overslade Crescent was part of a bus route and was therefore included on a gritting route but as the other side was not, it relied on the grit bin. He indicated that residents in the same road felt that they were not being given the same winter provision.

Mr Weaver spoke on behalf of the petitioners and outlined his personal situation as a mobility scooter user. He indicated that there were many elderly and people with mobility issues living on the side of the street not on the gritting route that relied on use of the grit bin. The removal of the bin would leave many struggling with access to and from their properties.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that gritting routes and grit bin locations were determined through criteria that was based on priority bus routes and that this sometimes meant one side of a road was gritted and the other side was not. She explained that while she was sympathetic to those with mobility issues, the Authority had to have a policy and did not have the resource to assist with gritting for residents personal/private use.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

1)  Notes the petitioners concerns.

2)  Endorses that the actions confirmed by determination letter to the petition spokesperson, as detailed in paragraph 1.6 of the report, are undertaken.