COUNCILLORS have agreed to use the general balance fund to make up a shortfall in the winter service budget.
The recent prolonged period of winter weather has resulted in Calderdale Council already spending more than £1.3million keeping roads and pathways clear and gritted.
However, the budget only allocated to carry out this work is £778,000 – usually eno
ugh to deal with a normal winter.
By the end of the winter period the overall deficit could be between £769,000 and £1.1million depending on the severity of weather during the next two months and on whether the council is able to resume a full service.
The distribution of salt across the country has been controlled by the recently introduced Salt Cell since January 6.
Councillor Amanda Byrne, portfolio holder for economy and environment said: "Calderdale's priority from the off has been to keep the roads clear and to keep people safe.
"However, the 2009/10 winter has been the worst for many years. The prolonged period of bad weather means that we have already had to spend more money than has been allocated for the winter service budget.
"Because the weather has been so bad we have already used more grit so far this year than we used for the whole of winter last year, which itself was considered an exceptional winter.
"The council has done its utmost to provide an adequate winter service but this has been severely impacted by the availability of salt, the distribution of which is still controlled at a national level.
"Because of the exceptional nature of this winter, Cabinet agreed that the shortfall should be met from general balances."
- The council has added a number of new routes to its winter gritting service this week.
It is still running a reduced service, with salt supplies very low.
The majority of salt ordered before Christmas has still to be delivered.
However the council has decided to grit more of the road network, covering many of the problem areas that came to light during the last spell of bad weather.
As well as covering all main roads, precautionary salting routes will now also include roads to all high schools and Calderdale College so they can remain open for any exams, more routes to residential areas which were left isolated before and more bus routes.
