Winter salt plan criticised in Midhurst and Petworth

WEST Sussex county councillors representing towns and parish north of the downs took a battering over their failure to deliver on the winter maintenance plans.

There was universal criticism for the failure to deliver salt before snow fell, for leaving bags in the wrong places and not contacting parish representatives.

A Lurgashall parish councillor told county councillors Michael Brown (Fernhurst) Chris Duncton (Petworth and John Cherry (Midhurst) at last week’s county local committee: “I think the county council has given a very poor service.

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“Everybody knew the snow was coming. It was confirmed days before and yet no attempt was made to bring salt out to the parishes until after it came down, by which time most little country lanes were impassable.

“We eventually got salt four days after the snow, by which time it was melting. We got five bags instead of 13 and all five were delivered to the wrong place. I think it’s absolutely appalling.”

Kirdford had huge bags of salt delivered it did not want and Fittleworth had no salt delivered and could not even get any information from the county council.

Chairman of the committee Michael Brown said he ‘could not defend the indefensible’, especially considering a ‘dry run’ was carried out by the county council in November to ensure the winter management plans ran smoothly.

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