Parish Councillor Suggests Community Gritting Options

A grit bin in Delph.

The idea of community-based gritting for Saddleworth was on the agenda at last night’s Parish Council meeting in Uppermill Civic Hall.

Cllr Rob Knotts, an Independent member and retired engineer, presented a report he has written examining the options for a new local service aimed at minor roads, which would support the work done on major roads each winter by Oldham Council.

The report suggested three possibilities, each involving a new grit store being established in Saddleworth.

Option one would see Oldham Council paying a retainer to farmers to clear local roads, option two would feature Oldham Council supplying snow-clearing equipment such as specialist quad bikes to local residents, and the third option would involve local groups buying the equipment themselves, perhaps aided by interest-free loans from the borough council.

Cllr Knotts described the first option as the “most realistic in the current economic climate.” Kirklees Council already uses farmers in this way, and last winter could call on 13 privately-owned vehicles to augment its own fleet of 26.

Oldham Council has in the past rejected the idea because of concerns over public liability insurance. But last week council leader Jim McMahon indicated that was not an obstacle in his mind.

Cllr Rob Knotts

He told Saddleworth News: “I think we’ve batted back the idea of a community gritting scheme, and we’ve made up excuses about us being sued, about it damaging the road surface. Which actually, you may be able to point to an isolated incident where that’s happened, but it really doesn’t hold water.”

Encouraging the idea of community gritting, Cllr McMahon also said: “I think we need to really loosen up a bit, allow the communities to do things in their area without always feeling the need to come back to the council for permission. And then for the council to say, without us being the bureaucracy and the red tape and the group that comes down and stops things happening, how can we make things happen and support the community to deliver?”

In his report, Cllr Knotts concluded: “Increased snow clearance and gritting operations would reduce winter main road parking and congestion problems thus improving transport and mobility in Saddleworth. Furthermore, absenteeism at work caused by severe weather and associated transport problems would reduce and have a positive impact on the local economy.”

Cllr Knotts added: “A relatively modest investment in equipment and resources would be of significant economic and social benefit to the community. Finally, showing concern and implementing timely action in addressing Saddleworth’s winter problems would benefit the political scene, regardless of party colour.”

The notion of community gritting in Saddleworth isn’t entirely new. Hand-held devices have been paid for and distributed to residents by the borough council-funded District Partnership, but they were designed more for icy pavements on suburban roads, and were reported as being ineffective in the harsh snowfalls of the past two winters.

Whether a larger-scale community initiative along the lines of Cllr Knotts’ proposals can be established in time for this winter remains to be seen.

(Editor’s note: I wasn’t at the Parish Council meeting because I had to babysit, so unfortunately I can’t fill you in on what the other councillors had to say about Cllr Knotts’ report. But Cllr Knotts did send me a copy of the report itself, so thanks go to him)

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

If you would like to share an interesting story, achievement, photo or something you just want to happily shout about please send it in an email to hello@saddleworthlife.com We'd ❤ to hear from you!!