Hartlepool Borough Council's gritting routes to be reviewed
Councillors have unanimously agreed to undertake a review of winter priority gritting routes and the locations of grit bins in the borough.
It comes after a motion was raised at the latest authority-wide meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council over the issue.
Proposed by Councillor Mike Young, who represents Reform UK, he called for work to take place looking at the council’s winter gritting routes along with the locations of grit bins and how frequently they are replenished.
He said this would result in a report on the issue going before the council’s neighbourhoods and regulatory services committee for consideration.
He added: “It’s just to see if we can work together.
“We are all aware in this chamber that cuts have been a reality for a number of years.
“What we have is a situation where a lot of work is being done by councillors and committees and by officers to prepare the best plan possible within the confines of that budget.”
He raised concerns over how in the Rural West ward he represents they face problems around West Park Primary School when “icy conditions hit” along with some housing estates.
The motion called for a review of all streets “currently included within first and second priority gritting routes” to see if evidence remains for their continued inclusion.
Streets not currently included within the priority network will also be assessed to see if they merit addition.
Labour’s Councillor Owen Riddle, chair of the neighbourhoods and regulatory services committee, welcomed a report going back before the committee, adding it will provide a refresher for councillors to see “what the criteria is” around gritting roads.