Agenda item

To consider the call-in of executive decision CMDHPL166.

The decision has been called in by Councillors Asa Caton, Leah Taylor and Matt Wynne,

The call-in deadline was 4.00 pm on 30 December 2024.

The Scrutiny Committee was informed that on 18 December 2024 the Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services had given approval to:-

(1)  The proposed separate arrangement for the provision of discretionary community grit bins on the highway that are outside the scope of the borough-wide risk-based approach taken in the Council’s Winter Service Policy and Plan.

(2)  The Council’s Policy and Plan being reviewed in the Summer / Autumn of 2025, prior to the next winter season.

The Chair reported that the decision of the Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services had been called in by Councillors Asa Caton, Leah Taylor and Matt Wynne.

Councillors Asa Caton and Matt Wynne attended the meeting and outlined their reasons for calling-in the decision, namely that they were concerned about the amount of funding required for the installation of grit bins; being £3,000 per bin. They stated that the report contained no context setting out how the figure of £3,000 had been arrived at. They further stated that they had examined the costs of installing and filling grit bins at other local authorities, along with checking the prices of bins and grit,  and found that those costs were significantly lower than the amount quoted for grit bins in Stockport. Councillors Caton and Wynne stated that they wanted to ensure that the Council and Stockport’s residents were getting value for money.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·       Councillors Caton and Wynne confirmed that, other than the costs, they were satisfied with the policy that ward members could use their discretionary highways budget for the installation of grit bins. However, that the wider grit bin policy required to be reviewed as it did not meet the requirements for grit across the borough. It was also noted that, reports containing costs did not contain detail about how those costs were arrived at.

·       Members queried whether it might be possible for residents to refill grit bins themselves at a cheaper cost. In response, it was reported that grit bins might require multiple refills per year, for example, if there was more than one cold snap or where rain washed grit away.

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services (Councillor Grace Baynham), the Director of Place Management (Mark Glynne) and the Assistant Director for Infrastructure (Jamie Birtles) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

It was explained that the Council’s Grit Bin Policy had determined the sites where grit bins were placed based on a risk assessment.

At the Council Meeting on 21 November 2024, members had resolved that:-

·       The relevant Cabinet Member arranges for the review of the Borough’s current winter policy around grit bins forthwith and amend it so that grit bin requests are dealt with through a common sense approach and that Ward Members can use the Highways budget delegated to them as they see fit on priorities residents set.

·       This review takes place imminently before freezing temperatures are upon us.

·       All Members are updated by December 2024 on this to allow wards to select locations for grit bins outside of the risk-based approach.

The new approach was un-funded and the council was required to cover the costs of additional grit bins. The cost for a discretionary bin and five years maintenance of the bin had been set at £3,000 in advance, to be charged to the Ward Delegated Budget.

The factors determining the cost included ensuring that discretionary grit bins would be in place for a minimum of five years; the council did not wish to undermine the trust of residents by removing grit bins. It also included the cost of the grit bin at approximately £350, the cost to refill a grit bin, which incorporated the cost of the grit itself, along with cost of the driver. It was not known how frequently grit bins would need to be refilled. 

It was acknowledged that the costs of installing a grit bin and five years of refills and maintenance might be more or less than £3,000, however, that was the estimate at which the council had arrived. The costs would be reviewed and revised if necessary.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·       Clarification was sought about whether the council had looked into costs for grit bins charged by other councils. It was reported that the council had not done so. It had arrived at the figure of £3,000 over five years taking into account the materials cost per year for purchase, replacement, degradation and storage. It also included the costs of labour, along with the instalment and removal of bins and it took account of inflation over a five-year period.

·       It was further reported that the council’s charges did not necessarily reflect the commercial costs. Furthermore, the council did not wish to provide a bin with a single annual refill and no additional top-ups; the public would expect the bins to be refilled as necessary.

·       It was confirmed that, over time, the costs for the grit bins would reduce as there would not be a requirement to install bins again.

·       Members commented that the cost of installing one bin was almost one third of the total annual highways delegated budget.

·       It was stated that the costs related to grit bins had not been set at a rate to discourage their installation; the council had to cover its costs and it had looked at cost savings.

·       Members enquired about whether the costs for a bin could be spread over two years rather than one. In response, it was stated that the council could not hold a future administration to a decision made by a previous councillor.

·       Members enquired about whether the council could fund a grit bin, but not refills. In response, it was stated that such a policy could bring the council into disrepute. It was further stated that such a position would also involve costs, with officer time spent negotiating with local residents about grit bins.

·       It was agreed that a review of the council’s gritting policy, including the views of residents and members would be useful.

·       Clarification was sought about whether it might be possible for funding to be returned to the ward highways delegated budget. In response, it was reported that there was an inherent risk, in that, future weather could not be predicted and that had been the basis of the council’s risk-based approach to grit bins.

It was then

RESOLVED – (5 for) That no further action be taken.