"LESSONS MUST BE LEARNT FROM THIS WINTER" SAY LIB DEMS

3.58.00pm GMT Thu 21st Jan 2010

Cllr David Ridgway will demand answers at today’s council meeting to establish how well Kirklees was prepared for the arctic conditions.

Cllr David Ridgway will demand answers at today's council meeting to establish how well Kirklees was prepared for the arctic conditions. He will urge the Labour Cabinet to take away any lessons that can be learned and make the necessary changes to better prepare the borough for the future.

Cllr Ridgway said:

"The efforts of the gritting crews and the highways service during the last month are beyond criticism. The question now is this: "Was the council prepared well enough and what can it learn from this for the future"

"We have a responsibility to local people to ensure that we have enough grit in stock; that we're gritting in the right places frequently enough; and that should the wintry weather return our preparations are in place so that the council will be ready once again whether in the next few weeks or in future years."

"This year may have been a one off, but that cannot be relied upon. The Council's cabinet must take away the lessons of this difficult month and incorporate the necessary and responsible changes."