Review demanded into weather handling

Alex Gore • Published 8 Jan 2010 13:00 2 Comments

WEST Berkshire's Lib Dems are calling on the ruling Tories to carry out an immediate review of how the council deals with extreme weather.

Lib Dem transport and highways spokesman, Keith Woodhams, will make his plea for an urgent review of the council's Winter Service and Adverse Weather Plan at next Thursday's executive meeting.

Cllr Woodhams said he appreciates the efforts put in by council staff in dealing with the conditions but believes the overall plan has not coped well with the recent spell of awful weather, adding: "People are at risk, both walking and driving, and we need to do more to protect them.

"If we act now we can make a positive difference to the wellbeing of our residents. An immediate review is necessary. We must also monitor exactly what has been done and how effective it has been.

"If the will is there then we can improve our response and it will be interesting to see what the Conservative administration is prepared to do in response."

Member for highways and transport, David Betts, who was snowed in at his Purley home on Wednesday and Thursday this week, said the council is always looking to improve its response and reviews its weather plan annually in consultation with all councillors and parish and town councils.

Cllr Betts said: "We are never complacent and obviously when we get the worst period of weather in 30 years there are going to be hard situations which we are not fully equipped to deal with and we need to look at that.

"But a number of things have been put in place since the bad weather last year. For example we started this year with a 20% increase in our salt stock and we have done a remarkable job in terms of keeping all A and B roads open."

Newbury MP Richard Benyon also paid tribute to employees at West Berkshire Council and Veolia Environmental Services who worked long hours to keep the district moving despite exceptional snowfall and icy conditions.

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Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  Debra Rose
  Unregistered User
  Jan 9, 14:40
  Report comment

  Why are we not using the unemployed and communiy service people to clear Reading's paths and roads
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Yvonne
  Unregistered User
  Jan 27, 13:13
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  Because Debra we would rather the tax payer let them get their Giro's paid directly into their bank account and stay in their lovely warm council house that we are paying for and basically do naff all for it
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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