GRITTY QUESTIONS HERTS COUNTY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ANSWER (St Albans Liberal Democrats)

St Albans Liberal Democrats <info@stalbanslibdems.org.uk>

GRITTY QUESTIONS HERTS COUNTY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ANSWER

February 9, 2009 2:09 PM

The Hertfordshire County Council performance on last week's snow leaves a lot of questions unanswered says Sandy Walkington, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for St Albans. "This is not about recriminations, it's about making sure we learn the lessons from next time. Yes, snow of this magnitude is a once in twenty or thirty year event and we must expect some disruption. But I remember the winter of 1963 - which was also a one-off event - but I don't recall the same lack of grit, literally and metaphorically!"

"Residents will rightly ask why Herts County Council did not follow the example of Devon who realised at Christmas they had already used up as much salt as last year and re-ordered in January when stocks were available and cheap? Herts County Council's failure to monitor salt stocks and take appropriate action means that salting has been unnecessarily rationed while council tax payers' money is being wasted in paying over the odds in the current panic buying of replacement stocks.

"Residents will also ask if the right roads were salted and gritted? What governs the Herts County Council salting programme? When was it devised? When was it last updated? Of course we accept that not all roads and cul-de-sacs can be cleared but is it operational convenience or genuine need in consultation with local residents which determines which roads are done?

"What can be done next time to make sure pavements get just as much attention as roads - St Albans pavements were a nightmare for everyone but especially the elderly. What role could the district council play in partnership with the county to help here? Could local salt bins be restored so that neighbours could band together to clear residential cul de sacs and side roads?

What governed the decisions of bus companies to cancel services, and was the county council consulted as the local transport authority? Would schools have been able to re-open sooner with a better guarantee of a working bus service?

"There may be good answers to all these questions," Sandy said. "But we need an assurance from County Hall that they are going to review all the learning points from this last week of chaos and disruption."