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Gritting to continue in Highlands despite budget being busted





Council gritters have been busy so far this winter
Council gritters have been busy so far this winter

Roads and pavements will continue to be gritted despite Highland Council overspending its winter budget by £500,000, a leading councillor has pledged.

Highlanders have been plagued by ice and snow in recent weeks and gritters have battled to keep up at a cost of more than £5 million.

The local authority has come under fire for not doing enough following countless slips and falls.

But it has now come to light that the council has already emptied its £4.98 million fund for winter maintenance and road clearing, which was due to last until April, as well as spending another £500,000.

Environment, development and infrastructure (EDI) committee chairman Allan Henderson said the constantly changing weather has caused freshly spread grit to be washed away every time it rains or climbing temperatures cause snow and ice to thaw.

"We have to make sure the people of the Highlands can keep moving – that is what we are going to do.

"Our budget was set based on the last two or three years but those winters weren’t as bad as this one has been. It has been freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw which has caused the grit we have laid to be washed away almost immediately.

"It is a worry for the council but we can’t do anything about it. We just have to deal with the conditions that we are given."

Projections or how much will be spent by the end of the financial year were not available but a Highland Council spokeswoman said a report will be given to the next EDI committee.

"Details on Highland Council’s winter maintenance expenditure are being prepared for the next environment development and infrastructure committee on February 1."

One local community councillor in the strath has spread some praise.

Watchdog member Joe Kirby said: "Despite what some folk may think, the guys that grit our roads and paths do a thankless job.

"These people deserve mega thanks for what they do with the resources they have at their disposal.

"Highland Council perform magnificently when in realistic terms they perform the service on pennies."


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