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23
Jan
Call to bring back salt bins to Ripon
North Yorkshire Council is being called upon to bring back salt bins to enable Ripon residents to clear icy and snow-covered footpaths in the neighbourhoods where they live.
At Monday's full city council meeting, members voted unanimously to support a proposal by leader Councillor Andrew Williams, calling for reinstatement of the bins.
The unitary authority came under fire for its limited clearance of pavements in residential areas during the recent wintry weather.
Conservative and Independents Group member Cllr Williams, who represents the Minster and Moorside division on North Yorkshire Council, said:
North Yorkshire is the largest authority by georgraphy in the UK, with 5,800 miles of roads and it is not physically possible for it to clear every street and pavement, but they could help by providing salt bins on the estates where people live.
Cllr Pauline McHardy said:
They removed the bins years ago and should pay for their return out of the extortionate council tax that we are being charged.
Following the heavy snowfall and freeze, we were badly let down, with people trapped in their homes because the pavements were not safe to walk on.
There was also an increase in the number of people admitted to hospital with broken bones, after slipping and falling over.
Icy footpaths in Ripon during the recent big freeze
Cllr Williams said:
It's a shame that North Yorkshire's employees are being criticised when they were doing their best for people, turning out in dreadful weather conditions to grit the roads and keep them open.
We should be working in partnership, rather than having a go at them
Liberal Democrat Cllr Barbara Brodigan, who represents the Ripon Ure Bank and Spa Division on North Yorkshire Council, supported Cllr Williams' proposal for the reinstatment of the salt bins, but pointed out:
With North Yorkshire having to cut its budgets, I think that this will never happen.
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