Salting Campaign decision – more action agreed to clear icy pavements

I’m pleased that at least some of my campaigning may at last be paying off concerning the icy pavements in our town centres.

Last night Kent County Council responded to the concerns I raised stating:

“following feedback from the prechristmas event we will with the help of the  Swale Borough Council contracted workforce be putting more resource into the physical removal of the snow before the application of grit which should help to reduce the ice formation.”

I am now checking back with Swale Council to see what they are doing in response.

Exceptional weather – Rubbish Collection Update

With the exceptional weather conditions, the Council is advising residents to leave bins out for collection as usual but if they fail to collect bins they will get there as soon as is possible. 
 
A note on handling waste

Most residents have a large green wheeled bin and blue bin.

The blue bin collection will take glass, plastic, paper, cardboard and cans. If recycling is maximised there really should be very little left to go into the green bin apart from food waste.

The Council is advising residents to put any other peripheral and importantly inert  items in a black sack and place by their green bin. They are giving assurances that this will be collected.

Street Cleansing

With the ongoing icy conditions and threat of more snow the Council has temporarily suspended all mechanical road sweeping and High Street sweeping to avoid sweeping up the grit that has been but down to treat the ice. 

They have also been in contact with Kent Highways and notified them of the resources available through Verdant (the rubbish collectors) to assist in the hand gritting of areas should conditions worsen. 
 
I have been advised via the Council’s Cleansing Manager that Kent Highways (Kent County Council) have resolved the initial problems with the proper gritting of our town centres and that they will now be continuing to grit the main shopping areas in our three main towns but are unlikely to have enough salt to treat pavements outside these areas.

Salting Campaign Update (Assurances from KCC)

 I have received the following letter by email from Kent County Council giving their assurances that they have sufficient salt stocks

To all county members, district councils and parish and town councils

Invicta House                         County Hall                         Maidstone                         Kent ME14 1XX                         Tel:              01622 694192                         Fax:            01622 691028                         Ask for:        Caroline Bruce                         Your Ref:                             Date:            7th January 2010

 Dear Colleague

 Following the heavy snow before Christmas, Kent has again been tested with further falls of snow over the last few days. In parts of Kent the snow and ice is the worst seen for over 20 years and more is expected.

 Kent Highway Services is working around the clock to keep primary and secondary routes open which amounts to over 1,500 miles of Kent’s roads.

 We have been joined in this challenge by local councils and Commercial Services, who are working alongside our highway crews in keeping town centres open for business. Other voluntary organisations and businesses are being engaged, making it a true community response.

Whilst we won’t cover every road and pavement – the priority must be to keep the primary routes open – we are doing our very best to keep Kent moving and we are continually listening and learning so that we provide the best service we possibly can. 

With regards to salt, KHS started off the winter service with significant stock and this is standing us in good stead.  We are managing this supply soundly to ensure that we can provide a good service right through the winter.

Please be assured that whilst this is an exceptional winter, we are well placed to manage it.

We realise that this weather is causing a great deal of damage to the road network and plans and funding are already in place to deal with this as soon as the exceptional weather abates.

Yours sincerely 

Nick Chard, Cabinet Member for Environment Highways & Waste & Caroline Bruce, Interim Director of Kent Highway Services