Councillors in Tenby have agreed to fund grit bins on town estates to aid access during periods of adverse weather and extreme frost.

At a previous meeting members of the Town Council agreed to look into the possible provision of grit bins around estates, with the town clerk Andrew Davies explaining that since 2010, the provision of salt (grit) bins has been delegated by Pembrokeshire County Council to Town and Community Councils.

The matter came up as a topic following the recent cold snap, after reports of members of the public succumbing to slippery conditions, with many carers highlighting issues where it was unsafe for them to access housing estates and homes in the locality, due to a lack of gritting.

In addition to primary roads, PCC is responsible for also gritting some ‘secondary’ roads throughout the county, but concerns were raised when Tenby councillors asked what provision was in place to make housing estates safe for residents.

The Town Council will pay for the supply and installation of the bin (currently £180 + VAT) and arrange for the spreading of salt, with the County Council to arrange for the initial filling of the bin and for stocks to be replenished when advised.

Members were informed that since that policy was introduced, the Town Council has been responsible for the provision of two such bins - one in Lamack Vale and one in Seascape, but as more and more estates had called for the bins to be introduced, a need was recognised across the town.

At last month’s meeting, members agreed to look at a provisional budget of £2,000 to provide grit bins on main estates - which would allow for the provision of 11 bins (an additional budget allocation of £160 would allow for 12 as VAT would be reclaimable), and the Clerk was tasked to look at the town's estates to consider areas where grit bins would be of benefit.

“As will be appreciated there are numerous estates in Tenby, so this review looks at those estates taking account of where the strategic placement of grit bins may be of assistance to residents i.e. where road/pedestrian access/egress is inclined and likely to be more difficult to maintain vehicle traction or where pedestrian access to,” Mr Davies stated in a report that came before councillors.

“Grit/salt provided in council grit bins is for the general community to use to treat public roads and pavements.

“Council supplied grit bins are not allowed to be used to clear private roads, including driveways or garden paths and this use can be considered to be theft.

“To overcome this, padlocks are usually provided with at least two designated keyholders, known to other residents, who are able to unlock the grit bin when required.

“As stated, the bins are provided for the community to use to treat public roads and pavements. Therefore, there will have to be a person, or group of people, at each identified estate prepared to spread the grit/salt when required. The town council would not have the staffing capacity to do this,” he explained.

The Clerks said that he had identified at least 17 areas where grit/salt bins could be beneficial (with more than one bin required in some locations) when weather conditions are adverse.

“The provision of the bins can be undertaken by the town council but there is a question on the estates where they are to be sited as to how they will be managed and used effectively,” he continued, before recommending that the Town Council sets aside £2,160 from its ‘special projects’ fund in the community budget to purchase up to 12 grit/salt bins from Pembrokeshire County Council to enable it to respond to specific requests from estates that give details of how the bins will be managed (including identified keyholders).

Councillors agreed with the proposal, with the Mayor, Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall stating: “It is important for people to take ownership for this to work, and I’m sure there’s enough decent people in the community to take responsibility for the keys and spreading the grit.”