A high priority for the new “balanced” York Council should be to sort out its winter maintenance programmes

The City was very fortunate last year when warm weather persisted for virtually the whole of the winter.

We would lucky if this happened for a second year.

One of the most unpopular cuts made by York’s Labour Council was the removal of many salt bins.

Most of the bins had been provided by ward committees following a ballot of residents priorities. Local residents are often the best qualified to identify footpaths which are vulnerable to icing.

Some of the bins subsequently seemed to escape the cull. Some even still have salt in them.

However, the salt bin location map shown on the York Councils web site is inaccurate. It shows bins that have been removed from the Foxwood Lane estate while failing to identify those that exist in the Linnet Way and Teal Drive areas (at least).

Biggest scandal remains the removal of bins from the Front Street/Acomb Green area. Gradients there make access particularly difficult for the many elderly people who need to get to key services in the village.

In other areas, some carriageways have been excluded from the gritting schedules despite the roads being on bus service routes.

All in all, there is a need for a review of the system before the snow arrives.

The Council could make a start by clearing the existing salt bins of rubbish and refilling those that need it.