This report informs the Committee of the output of the Winter Service Plan 20230-24 and the outcome of a review of that plan, and seeks approval for the winter Service Plan 2024-25.

The Committee received a report which set out details of the outputs that had been delivered by the Winter Service Plan 2023-24, of the Winter Service Plan review that had been carried out to ensure compliance with the Highway Act 1980 and ‘Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice’ and sought approval for the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025. A copy of the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that the 2023-2024 winter season had been relatively mild overall although interspersed with colder spells. However, there had been numerous occasions when the temperature reached the trigger point for precautionary salting action, (below 1^oC and predicted to go below freezing), resulting in 34 primary runs and three secondary runs. The colder spells had not been severe or prolonged enough for activation of the Snow Plan. There had been no issues with salt supply/delivery which had enabled the contractor to maintain stock levels throughout the winter season. There had been no issues with the contractor replenishing the grit bins as and when required. The winter decision making process to determine when to salt had worked well during the last winter season and the Vaisala weather stations had provided the correct data for informed decisions to be made.

The report added that the joint arrangement/agreement with Wokingham Borough Council, through their Consultants, Volker Highways, for providing the decision-making service, had worked well and delivered against the set key performance indicators during the 2023-2024 winter season. The Winter Service Plan 2023-2024 had provided a robust service for the duration of the winter period with no disruption to the primary and secondary road network during the season. With the changing climate leading to milder, wetter winters, the Highways and Drainage Team were reviewing the gully emptying regimes to ensure that they were clear and running to avoid localised flooding issues.

A review of the Winter Service Plan 2023-2024 had been carried out and the main points, including updates for the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025 were summarised in the report.

Resolved -

(1)        That the outputs delivered by the Winter Service Plan 2023-2024 be noted;

(2)        That the Winter Service Plan review carried out to ensure compliance with the Highways Act 1980 and ‘Well-managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice’ be noted;

(3)        That the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025 be approved.