Get H&F streets and pavements gritted first, Cllr Bristow

With Tory H&F council cancelling refuse collection and schools being closed because of 'treacherous conditions' on the borough's roads, it's a bit rich for H&F cabinet member Cllr Paul Bristow to call on other councils to 'learn the lessons of the snow'.

Cllr Bristow - a Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Middlesbrough - has called on each of the Tees Valley councils to hold reviews into their reactions to the snow chaos once the icy spell is over.

Cllr Bristow commented: "There has been considerable criticism throughout the Tees Valley about the lack of gritting and snow clearance by the local authorities responsible, especially on side streets and pavements. In Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland there has been, at best, minimal gritting on main roads only. Pavements are particularly treacherous with many residents unsure if they are supposed to clear the path outside their home. We have had this icy spell for weeks and it seems our local authorities are still struggling to cope. I understand that they are under acute pressure but we hear the same excuses every year. What is needed is a comprehensive review of practice by each council to learn once and for all the lessons for dealing with bad weather. They should work together and listen to the public. Each local authority has a duty of care to local residents and should look carefully into what has gone wrong.''

Cllr Bristow clearly hasn't been on the streets of H&F recently, otherwise he would have realised that phrases about 'pots and kettles' would have come to mind. Or perhaps he thought Middlesbrough was far enough away for his hypocritical views to be expressed. In fact we keep hearing the same excuses in Tory H&F - and we are still waiting for most of our streets and pavements to be gritted.