Snow has used 40% of grit

ABOUT 40 per cent of grit stocks have been used, council bosses said today.

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Bin collections to resume

WASTE will be collected from tomorrow after snow led to the cancellation of bin rounds.

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Waste collections suspended for rest of week

WASTE collections have been suspended for the rest of the week because of the bad weather.

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Snow cuts back waste collections

WASTE will probably only be collected on main gritting routes today, council bosses have said.

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Snow latest: don't fear legal action over clearing paths, council urges

A STREETS boss has urged residents to clear pathways of snow without fear of being sued, as travel disruption hits the borough.

Purnells Way, Knowle, Saturday morning

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s David Jamieson spoke following national concerns that homeowners could be sued if someone slips outside their home.

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Gritting route map

CLICK here to see a map of gritting routes for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.

The authority said yesterday gritters were out at 9.30am and will be out again from 6pm.

No school closures are listed at the time of going to press. Closures will be put on the council's Twitter page.

Football pitches in council parks will be closed this weekend as a result of the weather.

Grit stocks increased

GRIT stocks have been increased in Solihull as winter starts to bite.

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Map shows gritting routes

A MAP has been placed online showing gritting routes in Solihull and the West Midlands. See it here.

Sand only for grit bins

GRIT bins are to be filled with sand only, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has announced.

It said the move is needed in light of a national shortage.

The news comes after the authority slashed grit treatment of roads by 25 per cent at the request of the Government and cut bin numbers by about half.

In a statement, SMBC said: “Sand grit is effectively grit without salt, which means it will still help to improve a vehicle’s grip on the road but may not necessarily melt the snow and ice like salt does.”

A council posting on social networking site Twitter branded it a 'slight amendment'.

It said only major roads could be gritted in ‘exceptionally bad weather’.

In a press release, Councillor Ted Richards, cabinet member for transport and highways, said: “We do sympathise with people who are travelling around the Borough in any future exceptionally bad weather, however we also hope they will understand our reasons for taking this course of action.”

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Resident's online pothole complaint

A FED-UP Dorridge resident has gone online to protest at ‘everlasting potholes’.

They have posted their complaint on Fix My Street, which lets residents report concerns about the street-scene and relays them to council road bosses.

The complaints says: “We were told three years ago that the road through Dorridge Wood, leading to our houses at Parkfields, was on a two year waiting list for complete resurfacing. So two years have definitely gone by.

“The everlasting potholes were filled again last year and within weeks had re-appeared.

“Now, after the snow they are very very bad. It is at least 23 years since this road was surfaced, is it not time to get the job done properly?”

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Council thanks gritters

A COUNCIL boss has thanked gritting teams ‘on behalf of the borough’ for their work in the recent snow.

Councillor Ted Richards spoke after visiting gritters at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s Moat Lane depot.

It comes despite some residents’ anger at the perceived lack of gritting, cut by 25 per cent late last week over fears about supplies.

Cllr Richards, cabinet member for transport and highways, said: “On behalf of the borough, I want to thank each and every one of our workers involved in gritting Solihull’s roads.

“They have done an excellent job – particularly in the very difficult recent weather – and I have no doubts they will keep up their good work throughout the rest of winter.”

A council press release said they covered all planned routes and supplies were doubled before the cold snap.

Cllr Richards, above right, said: “At present, we have enough salt to cover our network without any problems.

“However, given that salt shortage is currently a national problem, our top ups are being restricted.

“Even so, we are confident that, should the severe weather return before the end of winter, we will be able to do as much as possible to keep the borough’s roads safe and open.”

Cllr Richards this week defended taking a decision to remove half of the borough’s grit bins ahead of the snow. The council stopped filling these last week as supplies ran low.

And he said the council is tackling a ‘much higher’ number of potholes left by the snow.

You can report potholes to the council on 0121 704 6000 or by emailing connectcc@solihull.gov.uk.

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Councils not to blame over grit, MP says

THE Government and not councils are to blame for grit shortages, Caroline Spelman MP has said.

Tory-controlled Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council had to slash gritting by 25 per cent and stop filling grit bins as the cold snap bit.

The Conservative MP for Meriden said: “Despite plenty of advance warning from the Local Government Association, the Gordon Brown’s Government was slow to react to the worst weather crisis in decades.

“We have seen shortages of salt and grit. Councils have been asked not to refill grit bins and only to treat major roads.”

She said in a press release: “We have also had confusion over whether to clear ungritted pavements and driveways.

“In the past, people did this to make it easier for pedestrians: now they are afraid to in case of being sued for any injuries people might suffer in a fall.

“The result is slushy and slippy pavements outside shops and even outside some doctors’ surgeries.”

And she said councils are working ‘flat out’ to fill potholes but budgets were under-funded by Government.

Mrs Spelman said: “With more snow forecast and more damage expected, the government needs to give careful guidance to councils and to members of the public so they can be clear about what they can do to keep roads and paths safe.”

The council has slashed grit bins by half, The Silhillian reported yesterday. Click here for more stories about the weather.

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Council defends grit bin cut

COUNCIL chiefs have defended slashing grit bin numbers by half ahead of one of the worst winters in recent years.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council removed 164 of the borough’s 312 bins, to the anger of the borough’s MP.

It said up to 23 could be put out if needed for places such as schools, hospitals, railway stations and old peoples’ residential homes.

Click here to see the locations of the bins that were removed (pages 11-18).

The council said reductions would make more ‘effective use of the existing resources’ and the bins did not meet criteria.

The 164 bins were removed at the beginning of winter 2008 – but some were put back as a ‘precaution’ after complaints from residents and councillors.

Many residents have criticised the council over its gritting of roads. The authority stopped filling bins last week as supplies dwindled and cut road gritting by 25 per cent.

Solihull MP Lorely Burt said: “The council is cutting grit bins by nearly 50 per cent across the borough and now we find that they cannot even be counted on to grit vital roads. ”

The Liberal Democrat MP accused the authority of showing an ‘inability to grit roads near vital transport interchanges’.

But Councillor Ted Richards, cabinet member for transport and highways, said of the bin move: “We have regarded what happens in other local authorities, the amount of resources we have got and also the amount of salt and grit available to us.”

And the Conservative told The Silhillian that Mrs Burt’s comments were ‘outrageous’.

He said: “I really think it would be more beneficial if she was congratulating our gritting teams and the way we have kept the network open.”

Teams had been out to three in the morning, he said and the authority was ‘better prepared’ this winter with 2,500 tonnes instead of the previous 1,500 tonnes.

It has less than 900 tonnes now, he said. The authority has warned gritting could be cut by 40 to 60 per cent if supplies are not re-stocked.

Cllr Richards said: “I am satisfied we are doing all that we can in the resources available.”

The £345,000 budget for this year has been exceeded he said, and the authority has had to use reserves to meet the shortfall.

Bosses say the council is one of the most under-funded in England.

The council will also stop its practice of removing grit bins in the summer and moving them back in the winter to save £20,000.

To see gritting routes click here (pages 18-53).

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Bin collections returning

ALL waste and recycling should be collected in Solihull today, council bosses said – with the backlog cleared by next Friday.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council said today: “The intention [is] that all domestic waste and paper and card for the Friday collection is collected.”

Extra staff will be on hand today and next week, it said in a statement.

It said: “It is hoped that by the end of Friday 22 January, with reasonable weather conditions, all waste and recycling from the past two weeks will have been cleared.”

It said heavy rain will thaw snow but roads and pavements could still be icy as temperatures are hovering above zero.

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Council admits it 'misjudged' snow

A COUNCIL chief today admitted he ‘misjudged’ the amount of snow that fell last night.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s chief executive Mark Rogers, right, spoke after some schools were today caught off guard.

In a statement on the council’s website he said: “At the risk of stating the obvious, the weather is continuing to cause concern and disruption both locally and nationally, and it remains less than clear when these protracted cold conditions will ease significantly.

“I must admit that I misjudged the volume of snow that would fall overnight - and continues to fall as I write.”

Yet services and schools should be taken as open, he said.

Mr Rogers said: “I would be uncomfortable condoning serial closures of schools, for example, when we have just had a two week holiday, exams beckon for some of our older pupils and the travel conditions, whilst less than helpful, are not insurmountable with a little planning.”

Bin crews were doing their ‘level best’ to tackle the backlog. “However, this is not an easy time and I can foresee that there will be further alterations and interruptions prompted by the conditions on many side roads,” he said.

After yesterday announcing that gritting would be slashed by 25 per cent amid a national shortage, Mr Rogers said there is ‘increasing likelihood’ that further cuts will start from Saturday.

This could see grit rounds cut by up to 60 per cent, he warned yesterday.

Mr Rogers said: “It is important for me to say that this is not because of under-stocking locally; the problem is that most of the country, along with large parts of Europe, is needing to grit extensively and to unexpected levels - and the grit/salt suppliers cannot meet demand.”

He added: “I would like to thank you all for your continuing understanding and patience.”

But he said: “Predicting the precise conditions for Solihull and then deciding how to respond to them sometimes requires the judgement of Solomon: and he is not presently available to advise.”

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Expect bin collection delays, council says

RESIDENTS can expect further disruptions to bin collections, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council said today.

It said the snowy weather means a ‘restricted’ service will continue.

In a statement it said: “For domestic waste, where it is safe to do so the council will collect black wheelie bins and one full bag of additional side waste.

“Green recycling boxes – paper and card – and plastic will also be collected where it is safe to do so, as well as any excess paper, card or plastic that does not fit in the box.”

It says householders can take waste to recycling facilities.

The statement says: “We hope residents appreciate that for both waste and recycling collections, the resumption of normal service in the borough is hugely dependent on the prevailing weather conditions.”

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Gritting slashed by 25 per cent

GRIT use is being slashed by 25 per cent in Solihull after a demand to cut back from the Government.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council said it will stop filling grit bins and answering gritting requests for more minor roads because of the cutback.

And it warned it could have to cut gritting usage by up to 60 per cent and grit only A and B roads from Saturday if deliveries do not arrive (click here for a list of these roads).

It comes as drivers hit out at the Conservative-controlled authority for the state of the roads – and its chief executive said ‘every effort’ was being made to keep services going.

The Government is now co-ordinating how much grit councils get.

A council statement said: “Residents and visitors to our borough will be aware of the national shortage of salt for our roads and although Solihull Council learned from the lessons of last winter and increased significantly their pre-season salt stocks, we have now been asked by Govt to reduce our usage by 25 per cent.

“We have also been asked to plan for worst case scenarios which could result in further reductions of potentially 40 to 60 per cent.”

It says: “Because of this, from today, the council will stop filling of grit bins with salt and not be able to respond to requests to carry out gritting on routes which are not on our strategic network unless there is an emergency.”

Gritting only A and B roads would “conserve our existing salt stock as orders to ensure the level of service we have been providing to date are unlikely to be delivered at this time.”

It says: “Other roads which have been treated over the last few days will not be treated after today.”

The statement finishes: “We do sympathise with people who are travelling around the borough in the current exceptionally bad weather, however do hope you will understand our reasons for taking this course of action.”

In another statement, chief executive Mark Rogers says: “Public services locally and nationally continue to be challenged by the persistent adverse weather conditions, but every effort is being made in Solihull to overcome the difficulties and I am most appreciative of the efforts of my teams, and the patience and support of our communities.”

He says the cold snap “does not appear to be abating” but conditions on roads and pathways are generally improving.

Mr Rogers says: “If this does not sound too much like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs, wrap up warm, wear some sturdy footwear and - whether walking or driving - set off earlier than usual.”

And he says the council is ‘doing everything we can’ to pick up missed bin collections.

Glyn Simpson wrote on Twitter today: “Turned around and headed back home. Roads out of Knowle not gritted and treacherous.”

Loosea said: “Solihull clearly hasn’t been gritted. Main Warwick Road is ridiculous - turned back as travelled about 5 metres in 30 mins and slippy as hell!”

Darrenkangurs said: “Major roads in Solihull / Shirley haven't been treated and we had 1-2 inches of snow overnight. Well done to the council.”

Residents are being urged to check the council’s website and Twitter page for the latest information.

Conservative Meriden MP – who has been strongly critical of the Government over gritting supplies – praised SMBC for “their prompt response to keeping people well informed in the cold weather crisis” via the web.

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Expect delays for rubbish collection, council says

SOME residents will have to wait more than a week to get their rubbish collected after the severe weather disrupted schedules.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council said: “Materials that should have been collected this week but were not because of the disruption – glass, cans and plastic – will now be collected on their next scheduled collection day in the week commencing Monday 18 January.”

It added in a press release: “Weather permitting, during the week commencing Monday 11 January, plastic, paper and card will be collected as per the usual recycling schedule.”

It urged residents to see its website, Twitter page or telephone 0121 704 6000 for latest information.

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