Dudley Council has announced a review of its winter maintenance policies following significant public outcry over the removal of approximately 500 grit bins. The decision, part of the council’s budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, was initially supported by the ruling Conservative group with backing from the Liberal Democrats. However, the backlash prompted by this action has led to a reconsideration of the changes.
The council’s winter maintenance strategy, which aimed to streamline services, left many residents without access to essential grit bins during recent cold weather. In response to the public’s outcry, which included a petition garnering around 1,000 signatures, the Liberal Democrats have called for a review of the decision to remove the bins.
During an extraordinary council meeting scheduled for January 29, 2024, triggered by a Labour motion advocating for the reinstatement of grit bins, Liberal Democrat Leader Clr Ryan Priest expressed regret over the budgetary decisions. He stated, “The budget was passed believing what we were doing was making the service more efficient, what came out of that is a service that for most people in the borough did not exist.”
Priest criticized the changes as “over-zealous,” advocating for a reevaluation of the situation. He acknowledged the need to learn from the experience: “We can’t change the past – what we can do is look at this service that ended up being worse.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Tromans added that the budget did not explicitly state that 500 grit bins would be removed, but rather indicated a review process that was not followed effectively. He remarked, “Now it’s time to look for solutions; the devil is in the detail. There are lessons to be learned for our group; we will take that on board.”
The council’s leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, acknowledged the backlash and the challenges associated with the decision. He remarked, “Sometimes the smallest savings cause you the biggest headaches. This was a £60,000 saving; it caused us huge headaches, so first of all, you have to put your hands up and apologize about that.”
Harley emphasized that the review will consider whether the removed bins are necessary based on usage over the past few years. He noted, “Grit bins that have been removed won’t go back if the grit has not been used for three or four years, but grit bins that have been moved that maybe shouldn’t have been removed, as part of the review, they will go back.”
In addition to reinstating some bins, the council is also looking into the possibility of adding new bins in areas that previously lacked them, alongside enhancing the equipment available for winter maintenance. The review provides an opportunity to improve the program overall.
During the council meeting, Labour leader Clr Adam Aston criticized the removal of the grit bins, asserting that it undermined community efforts to maintain road safety during winter conditions. He emphasized, “The politics of removing grit bins took away the ability of the community to look after themselves and keep roads clear that the council doesn’t have the capacity to treat.”
As Dudley Council moves forward with this review, residents will be watching closely to see how the administration addresses the concerns raised by the public and the implications for future winter maintenance strategies.
