As you may be aware, several Macclesfield roads were removed from Cheshire East Highways gritting route last year.

200 routes were axed by Cheshire East Council in total, as we reported in October.

Macclesfield streets Black Road, Blakelow Road, Brook Street, Gunco Lane, Windmill Street, and Union Road were among those facing a grit-free future.

This has changed because winter gritting is now linked to the Well Managed Highways Infrastructure (WMHI) guidance, issued by the government's department for transport in October 2018.

It guides local authorities when developing their approach to highway infrastructure by local needs, priorities and affordability.

Though it's not a statutory requirement to follow the guidance, not doing so means the local authority could lose out on funding via the Local Highway Maintenance Incentive Fund (LHMIF).

Many residents were concerned and in response, Macclesfield Town Council decided unanimously to fund gritting of the steepest and the roads of most concern to residents.

Macclesfield Town Council provided two options to Cheshire East Highways. Firstly, to pay Cheshire East Council to add the roads back to their schedule or secondly, to use their own supplier to do the additional gritting.

Representatives of both the Town Council and Cheshire East Highways held a useful and constructive meeting to discuss why neither option is possible due to the risks and liabilities of not complying with current Cheshire East Policy.

While the Town Council does not agree with the Cheshire East position, Cheshire East was able to fully explain the policy and the town council did gain a clearer understanding of how the gritting policy was being applied and the complexities of making changes to it, part-way through the winter programme.

Discussions have also made clear of Macc Town Council's aspirations to see enhanced road gritting provision in the town.

There will be a further review this year carried out by Cheshire East Council's Highways and Transport Committee, and the Town Council will share this on our website and social media channels and on our noticeboards, so everyone affected can they have their say.

And while our town's smallest local form of government offered to pay to grit the roads Cheshire East proposed to cut, this was rejected by Cheshire East due to breaking policy.

Macclesfield's Deputy Mayor and Labour Councillor Fiona Wilson said: "The Town Council, aware of the concerns of residents and the pressure on Local Authority funding, decided to pay for the gritting of the majority of the routes in Macclesfield removed from the winter gritting schedule as a result of the Department for Transport's Well Managed Highways guidance.

"It is disappointing that, following discussions with Cheshire East Highways, we haven't been able to provide a solution this winter. We will work to have the routes reinstated and encourage residents' to have their say as part of the review being undertaken by Cheshire East Council."

Macclesfield Town Council will turn seven this year.

You can follow our town's smallest form of local government here.

See also: Macclesfield Gritting: Angered resident gets down to the nitty-gritty over axed routes.

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