Commercial Cabinet Member – Minutes – 29 November 2018

2 (2) WINTER SERVICE 2018/19 – The Director: Operations submitted a report updating the Cabinet Member on the review of the Winter Service Policy prior to the start of the winter season 2018/19, and seeking formal approval of the Winter Service Policy for 2018/19 and its publication on the council website.

The council had in place a Winter Service Policy so that adverse winter weather can be responded to efficiently and effectively. Officers reviewed and updated the policy each year in order to improve the service and keep the roads as safe as possible for all road users. For the winter service to be effective, the overall winter period was defined as 1 October to 30 April with the core period running from 1 November to 15 April, when the worst winter weather was expected to occur.

Officers had reviewed the effectiveness of the Winter Service Policy arrangements put in place over the 2017/18 winter period. Feedback indicated that the service performed very well and in full compliance with the requirements of the national Code of Practice (Well Maintained Highways July 2005). During the summer of 2018 officers had undertaken a consultation exercise to encompass the most recent guidance contained in Chapter 13 of the Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management, 'Well Managed Highway Infrastructure November 2016'.

The Winter Service policy continued to include the provision of devolved budget allocations for snow clearing to Town and Parish Councils. It was proposed that these were maintained at the same level as applied in 2017/18; details were set out in the accompanying appendix to the report.

Contact had recently been made with all registered contractors asking for current insurance certificates and any amendments to their available plant or charging rates. As a result, an up to date register was now in place in readiness for the start of the 2018/19 winter season.

Resolved - That the revised Winter Service Policy arrangements for 2018/19 be approved.