Urgent Notice of Motion by Convener
That this Committee:
1. Thanks the Council staff, residents, community groups, businesses, and others for their actions in tackling the recent exceptional period of cold and snowy weather.
2. Notes that Council staff Teams worked around the clock to grit and clear roads and pavements during the recent cold weather.
3. Welcomes officers’ action in hiring 31 private contractor diggers to assist with snow clearing in side streets.
4. Recognises the impact the snow had on Council services, including education and refuse collection, and the impact that in turn had on residents and businesses.
5. Recognises that, while it is too early to be able to make a link to this extreme weather event, climate change, including the increase in freeze / thaw cycles, has put additional pressure on the Council’s winter maintenance operations.
6. Agrees to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to report to the Net Zero, Environment, and Transport Committee to consider what resources would help Roads Operations meet extreme weather challenges, including what further support and assistance might be offered to local community resilience groups for all types of extreme weather events.
Decision:
(i) to thank the Council staff, residents, community groups, businesses, and others for their actions in tackling the recent exceptional period of cold and snowy weather;
(ii) to note that Council staff Teams worked around the clock to grit and clear roads and pavements during the recent cold weather;
(iii) to welcome officers’ action in hiring 31 private contractor diggers to assist with snow clearing in side streets;
(iv) to recognise the impact the snow had on Council services, including education and refuse collection, and the impact that in turn had on residents and businesses;
(v) to recognise that, while it is too early to be able to make a link to this extreme weather event, climate change, including the increase in freeze / thaw cycles, has put additional pressure on the Council’s winter maintenance operations; and
(vi) to agree to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to report to the Net Zero, Environment, and Transport Committee to consider what resources would help Roads Operations meet extreme weather challenges, including what further support and assistance might be offered to local community resilience groups for all types of extreme weather events and provide a "lessons learned” report for inclusion in future winter resilience planning.
Minutes:
The Committee had before it an urgent Notice of Motion by the Convener in the following terms:-
That the Committee:-
(a) thank the Council staff, residents, community groups, businesses, and others for their actions in tackling the recent exceptional period of cold and snowy weather;
(b) note that Council staff Teams worked around the clock to grit and clear roads and pavements during the recent cold weather;
(c) welcome officers’ action in hiring 31 private contractor diggers to assist with snow clearing in side streets;
(d) recognise the impact the snow had on Council services, including education and refuse collection, and the impact that in turn had on residents and businesses;
(e) recognise that, while it is too early to be able to make a link to this extreme weather event, climate change, including the increase in freeze / thaw cycles, has put additional pressure on the Council’s winter maintenance operations; and
(f) agree to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to report to the Net Zero, Environment, and Transport Committee to consider what resources would help Roads Operations meet extreme weather challenges, including what further support and assistance might be offered to local community resilience groups for all types of extreme weather events.
Councillor Malik, seconded by Councillor Tissera, moved a procedural motion to allow Members to ask questions of officers in relation to the Notice of Motion.
On a division, there voted:- for the procedural motion (4) – Councillors Brooks, Malik, Nicoll and Tissera; and against the procedural motion (5) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; and Councillors Hutchison, McLellan and van Sweeden.
The Committee resolved:-
to reject the procedural motion.
At this juncture, the Convener advised that there were three amendments in the names of Councillors Nicoll, Brooks and Tissera, and that he would accept the amendment from Councillor Nicoll into the motion at point (f), namely:-
That the Committee:-
(f) agrees to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to report to the Net Zero, Environment, and Transport Committee to consider what resources would help Roads Operations meet extreme weather challenges while providing an enhanced service throughout the year, including what further support and assistance might be offered to local community resilience groups for all types of extreme weather events and provide a "lessons learned” report for inclusion in future winter resilience planning.
The Convener moved, seconded by the Vice Convener:-
That Committee approve the amended Notice of Motion.
Councillor Brooks moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Nicoll:-
That the Committee:-
approve the notice of motion with an amendment to point (f) as follows:-
instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to review the Council’s performance against their winter weather policy and refer any potential additional funding required to the budget process to deliver an enhancement to the plan in anticipation of delivering an improvement in response for winter 26/27, whilst a revised plan is being developed to inform 27/28 budget process and the 27/28 plan; as the 2025/26 provision fell short and left many residents ... view the full minutes text for item 5