Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: September 12, 2025

Purpose:

Content: 10.1 Members of the committee considered a report of the Executive Director Neighbourhood Services containing an operational review of Winter Maintenance activities further to a contractual requirement of the Streets Ahead Highways PFI Contract.     10.2 RESOLVED: That the Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee approves the following thirteen-point plan;   a)    Officers to revise the Priority 1 Precautionary Treatment Network inclusion criteria to support bus service continuity in heavy snow and ice events. This will align with recommendation A4.4 of the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice to define Sheffield’s Minimum Winter Service Network and improve current Network Resilience procedures. b)    Agree to deliver a significant upgrade of all weather forecasting stations in the city, allowing the Authority to record and forecast based upon weather data from five climactic domains instead of the existing two. c)    Agree to the recommended revised suite of Grit Bin Provision Criteria. d)    Approve officers to conduct a review of all 2200 current grit bin placements on the highway network using these revised provision criteria. e)    Agree to the relocation of up to 10% of current grit bins under these new criteria to ensure fairer distribution of grit bins around the city. f)      Agree to the delivery of a comprehensive winter maintenance communications plan. g)    Empower appropriately qualified winter maintenance forecaster and decision maker tier officers through the scheme of delegation to act as and when required to implement the recommended new Performance Requirements upon Amey and to enable suspension of Street Cleansing Services in advance of forecasted winter weather events to deliver pre-emptive pedestrian gritting. h)    Agree to the funding of 1no. Gritting Machines on a trial basis for 2025/26 winter season from within the budget generated from contractual cost savings achieved through the December 2024 committee to deliver precautionary and reactive gritting treatments on a defined hierarchical route network of footway and pedestrian areas. i)      Agree for Officers to implement flexible working arrangements for appropriately qualified decision makers ahead of forecasted adverse weather events. j)      Empower Officers to negotiate a Contract Change with Amey to create a formal process for Tactical / Strategic Command Authority for out of contract requests during adverse weather events in emergency scenarios. k)    Agree to the establishment of a dedicated channel for submission and triage of Elected Member requests for service during snow and adverse weather events. l)      Agree measures to empower Officers to work to improve robustness of Emergency Planning cross-collaboration with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and other agencies looking after vulnerable citizens. m)  Agree measures to enable Officers to improve cross-Council communications around winter messaging, especially with education and schools to help reduce instances of unnecessary school closures given the wider impact of these upon the economy of the city     10.3 Reasons for Decision     10.3.1 The 14-point plan of service changes proposed above are believed to be an effective way of improving the service in terms of compliance with industry best practice, building on our already nationally leading service provision and meeting the reasonable practicability threshold outlined in legislation.     10.3.2 These approaches when combined will maximising efficiency and operational capability within the available budget to improve Sheffield’s Winter Service offering, efficacy and perception as well as improving upon environmental credentials of the service through reduced carbon and reduced wastage.     10.3.2 The Committee is advised to agree to all 13 points of the improvement plan.     10.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     10.4.1 Alternative Option 1 – Inversion of the treatment hierarchy for pedestrian areas:     10.4.1.1 Many of the enquiries and feedback items reviewed made strong representations about a feeling of inequality that busier (Principal) shop sites such as Ecclesall Road received pedestrian snow clearance prior to other less busy shop site areas located out within communities.     10.4.1.2 It was alleged by many that this was a social decision to favour affluent communities over more deprived ones.     10.4.1.3 The concept of gritting based upon Indices of Multiple deprivation was explored during the review process, however, is contrary to national best practice and would leave the Authority vulnerable to legal challenge in the eventuality of accidents or incidents to not work in a formal hierarchical order downwards from the busiest areas.     10.4.1.4 The recommendations around a new pedestrian area gritter as well as suspension of services upon receipt of a forecast of adverse weather and sustained snowfall will come some way towards meeting these expectations in less busy areas through more effective use of resources, meaning that clearance work is expected to move more quickly in future snow events.     10.4.2 Alternative Option 2 – Gritting of Cycle Lanes instead of carriageways:     10.4.2.1 A number of items of feedback were highlighted around how the Council could support active travel by gritting of cycle lanes instead of main carriageways     10.4.2.2 Whilst this was explored during the review process, it does not sit within the remit of either Officers of Highways Maintenance Division, nor the Environmental Services and Regulation Committee to advocate for or decide upon this, and so this feedback will be passed to officers of Strategic Transport to consider whether they wish to make representations to the appropriate Committee.     10.4.3 Alternative Option 3 – Purchase of multiple pedestrian gritters:     10.4.3.1 Whilst the advantaged of being able to treat large swathes of pedestrian areas quickly was explored during the review process, in the Council’s current financial position, it is not practicable to commit to this level of expenditure, and therefore one gritter will be trialled for the 2025/26 season before recommendations are made on longer term approaches.     10.4.4 Alternative Option 4 – Implement Precautionary Gritting of all footways on all shop sites as well as 200 metres of footways outside all schools in the City.     10.4.4.1 This concept was explored as part of the Council’s budget setting process for 2025/26 financial year.     10.4.4.2 This would require recruitment of an additional 51 staff over the remainder of the PFI contract through to 2037 as well as 47 items of vehicle and plant and around 120 tonnes of salt per treatment.     10.4.4.3 The total cost would be in the region of £4.3 million per annum, or £61 million over the remainder of the PFI contract, and was therefore deemed to be not practicable within the Council’s current financial position.