THIS REPORT RELATES COUNCIL TO ITEM ON THE AGENDA

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TECHNICAL SERVICES

04/02/2003 NOT EXEMPT

WINTER MAINTENANCE POLICY AND LEVEL OF SERVICE 2002/03

1 PURPOSE

1.1 The paper proposes to clarify the Council’s position in relation to winter gritting of the B829 Aberfoyle to Kinlochard; the B8034 to Arnprior; and the A821 to Brig O’ Turk roads.

2 SUMMARY

2.1 Additional information has come to light in relation to undertakings, given by the Council, at the time of the closure of Kinlochard Primary and Arnprior Primary Schools.

2.2 This information, if available at the time of the Council’s Resources Committee, would have resulted in these stretches of road being re-instated in the Priority C1B treatment routes.

2.3 The A821 is also re-instated as it is an ‘A’ class route, which should have fallen into the policy criteria for a priority C1B route. It is also a route to a local primary school.

2.4 This paper proposes to restate the Council’s position in relation to the winter gritting of these three routes.

3 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 To reinstate for Priority C1B treatment, the winter gritting of the B829 Aberfoyle to Kinlochard; the B8034 Port of Menteith to Arnprior; and the A821 Kilmahog to Brig O’ Turk routes.

4 CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 Following the meeting of the Council’s Resources Committee on 21 November 2002, additional information in relation to undertakings given by the Council at the time of the closure of Kinlochard Primary and Arnprior Primary Schools, was raised by Children’s Services.

N:\DEMSUPP\NewDecisions\Environmental\Reports\EQ20030204WMPOLICY2002-3.doc 4.2 In light of the information made available by Children’s Services, which has a material effect upon the safe transport of schoolchildren, the winter gritting of the B829 Aberfoyle to Kinlochard; the B8034 Port of Menteith to Arnprior; and the A821 Kilmahog to Brig O’ Turk routes should be retained within the Priority C1B listing and not downgraded to Priority C2 routes.

5 POLICY IMPLICATIONS

5.1 Although not a change in the Winter Maintenance policy agreed, this paper will regularise the Council’s position in relation to implementing the existing policy priority criteria and will allow the policy to be amended to reflect the Council’s commitments, given during the consultation process for school closures.

6 CONSULTATIONS

6.1 Director of Corporate Services; Director of Children’s Services

7 RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

7.1 Approximately £70k, dependant upon weather, due to route length of 30km being re-instated as Priority C1B, and the need to retain the service equipment being planned for disposal.

8 BACKGROUND PAPERS

8.1 Resources Committee - Winter Maintenance Policy and Level of Service 2002/03 (21November 2002);

8.2 Stirling Council – Written Questions (5 December 2002).

N:\DEMSUPP\NewDecisions\Environmental\Reports\EQ20030204WMPOLICY2002-3.doc Author(s) Name Designation Tel No/Extension

Les Goodfellow Head of Roads and Ext 3308 Transport

Approved by Name Designation Signature

Arthur Nicholls Director of Technical Services

Date 20 January 2003 Reference REP376EQ

N:\DEMSUPP\NewDecisions\Environmental\Reports\EQ20030204WMPOLICY2002-3.doc