PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL
Adverse Weather Management Plan
The experience of recent winters has highlighted the importance of co-operation between the various agencies and the value of the Town Council’s roles within the communities.
The Town Council does not have a statutory duty to prepare for and deal with snow, ice or flooding. However, it is in a good position to inform the principal authorities about local needs. Kent County Council’s winter service plans can be found at
http://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/what-we-look-after/winter-service/road-salting-and-snow-clearance. Up to date information can also be obtained by following KCC’s Twitter feed – https://twitter.com/GrittingKent.
KCC’s primary gritting routes in Paddock Wood are Badsell Road, Maidstone Road, Commercial Road, Church Road and Pearsons Green Road.
The secondary gritting routes are Warrington Road and Mascalls Court Road.
Footpaths will be gritted by KCC in the following order of priority as conditions allow; shopping centres, schools, railway stations, bus stops, medical centres and residential homes.
The Town Council has a duty to ensure that its employees & users of its facilities have a safe passage. The footpath through St Andrews, the area around the workshops and the Day Centre path will be gritted.
Paddock Wood Town Council also holds a 10 x 15kg bags of grit which is supplied by Kent County Council. This is for use in public areas. Estates staff will grit and clear the footpaths in Commercial Road and a walkway through both of the car parks, in the event that KCC are unable to do so. Additional grit will be purchased if required
Members may, if they wish collect some grit and clear walkways in their vicinity. This is subject to availability.
Legal Advice and Litigation
Throughout the country people have been hesitant to clear snow because of fears of litigation if someone should slip on a treated area.
A recent statement by the Ministry of Justice stated that “The prospect of a person who volunteers to clear snow from a pavement being successfully sued for damages by a person who subsequently slips on the cleared area and is injured are very small.” A snow clearer does however, have a duty to clear with reasonable care so as not to create a new or worse risk.
DO
- Move snow to a porous surface such as grass verge or garden.
- Spread salt/grit evenly at the appropriate spread rates
- Clear any excess salt or grit once the snow/ice has melted
DON’T
- Use water to melt snow, if there is a risk it will re-freeze
- Move snow to a location where it will create another risk, such as another part of the pavement, road or where people are likely to walk
- Use excessive salt, grit or other material so as to create a new or worse risk.
In the event of severe weather the Town Clerk and Estates Manager will determine what efforts can be made by the Town Council to facilitate access for the town’s residents.
Salt Bins are located at:
Junction of Green Lane and Church Road
Mascalls Court Road and Chantlers Hill
Pearson’s Green Road at Junction of Castle Hill.
The bins are filled by Kent County Council (PWTC staff will check during the autumn and advise KCC if they need filling) and are for use on the public highway ONLY.
FLOODING
In the event of flooding the sandbag store at Putlands will be left unlocked and residents may collect sandbags if their homes are in danger of flooding. Elderly or infirm residents may contact the Town Council offices on 01892 837373, and arrangements will be made to deliver a limited number of sand bags to those homes, if possible.
In order to help prevent flooding residents are urged:
- Ensure all ditches on their land are kept clear
- Not to throw garden rubbish over their garden fences as it may block ditches
- Report any blocked ditches, drains or gullies to Kent County Council at http://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/report-a-problem or telephone 03000 41 8181
HIGHWINDS
In the event of a yellow, amber, or red weather warning for wind for the Southeast the Council has authorised the Clerk and/or Estates Manager to close the Foal Hurst Wood on Health and Safety Grounds. In the event that the Clerk or Estates Manager are not available i.e. at weekends either the Chairman of the Council, Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Estates Committee will facilitate the closure.
