Heather Kidd has written to the editor of the Shropshire Star asking for the new Shropshire Council to reconsider it’s gritting policy.
Dear Editor
It seems that Shropshire Council has decided to continue with the unsatisfactory gritting of the old Shropshire County Council. They claim that they had 20% extra grit this year but it was not enough last year and did not consider anything other than the motor car on very few roads.
We must have a fundamental review which is not just about gritting some roads but also considers the following:-
• Pavements, especially to give access to Post Offices and reduce the number of falls.
• School bus routes so that some rural children do not end up missing a week or more of school and possibly GCSE exams. These will also let isolated communities in and out.
• The patterns of people requiring care across the County so that carers and the people cared for are not put at risk.
• Milk tanker access to farms as a missed pick up can lose £3,000 to £4,000 for the farmer and a problem disposing of the milk.
• Investment in grit bins so that people can grit areas for themselves and the grit does not get washed away. The numbers of new bins this year were limited.
• Look at reinstating the severe weather fund so that the roads budget is not hit for the rest of the year. Poor weather creates more potholes too and our roads already need significant investment.
• The impact of using a snow plough without gritting.
• The use of local contractors for grit spreading.
It may not be possible to do all of these but in a joined up Council we must at least openly consider them. Rural people often ask what value they get for their Council Tax and so this is really important to do properly and look for extra funding if necessary. It could be about joint funding with health authorities, the police, some businesses, town councils and other innovative partnerships.
I will be asking the Development Services Committee to scrutinise this.
I would also like to thank the gritting teams around me who have worked long hours without being able to deliver the service they would like.
Yours sincerely
Cllr Heather Kidd
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Ludlow for Bridgnorth