Council get down to the nitty-gritty for winter

COUNCILLORS in Perth and Kinross are today expected to approve plans to extend the use of volunteer farmers in keeping roads and pavements clear of snow this winter.

The installation of additional ice early warning systems and a revision of road treatment priorities is also expected to be backed at a meeting of the enterprise and infrastructure committee.

The council is also planning to trial innovative equipment to help grit streets that are inaccessible to large gritters and to increase its pre-season salt order by 20 per cent to 24,000 tonnes.

A report to the committee by Jim Valentine, the depute director of environment, states that last winter was the most severe to hit the area for 50 years. and cost the council £5.96 million.

He is recommending that the Farmers Assistance Scheme should be extended to deploy farmers earlier and more widely in snow clearing.

Councillor John Kellas, the convener of the enterprise and infrastructure committee, said: “In considering the experience of last winter, and preparing for this year’s, it’s important to be realistic about what the council alone can achieve. Resources are simply not available to us to keep all roads and pavements clear of snow and ice.”