This report informs the Committee of the output of the Winter Service Plan 2024-25 and the outcome of a review of that plan, and seeks approval for the Winter Service Plan 2025-26.

The Committee considered a report that set out details of the outputs that had been delivered by the Winter Service Plan 2024-25 and 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’.  It also sought approval for the Winter Service Plan 2025-2026. A copy of the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that the 2024-2025 winter season had been relatively mild overall but there had been numerous occasions when the temperature had reached the trigger point for precautionary salting action, (below 1⁰C and predicted to go below freezing), resulting in 54 primary runs and four secondary runs. The colder spells had not been severe nor prolonged enough for activation of the Snow Plan. By comparison there had been 34 primary runs and three secondary runs during the previous winter season 2023/2024. 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, to provide gritting decision making had worked well and delivered against the set key performance indicator. The Winter Service Plan 2024/2025 had provided a robust service for the duration of the Winter period with no disruption to the primary and secondary road network.

A review of the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025 had been carried out and the main points, including updates for the Winter Service Plan 2025-2026, were summarised in the report.

Resolved -

(1)       That the outputs delivered by the Winter Service Plan 2024-2025 be noted;

(2)       That the outcome of 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 2025-2026 be approved.