With summer sunshine (occasionally) to look forward to, it seems strange to be focussing on the issue of disruption caused by snow and the levels of salt and grit on our roads.

But it is an extremely important issue for this district, and the Council’s report looking at the number of grit bins in the area will be of great interest to anyone who has to traverse the many ups and downs of the district’s roads in inclement conditions.

It seems strange that there are only 600 of these bins around the region, with so many of its roads particularly vulnerable to ice and snow disruption. And it verges on the ludicrous that of those 600, 200 are apparently in the wrong place and are going to be moved, according to a new Council report. As the report also states, they are sometimes misused by people spreading at the wrong time or in the wrong place.

So the idea of snow wardens to help seems on paper a good one, but it does need to be more than just a gimmick.

A genuine presence of trained people around the district able to help clear roads would be excellent, and that seems to be what the Council is aiming at. With a planned expenditure of £5,000 set to provide a total of 50 groups of volunteers, it would also seem to represent good value for money.

It is something that needs to be done in tandem with better placed, and hopefully with a greater number, of grit bins. Anything that makes a real impact on the effect heavy snowfall has on our roads would be a welcome step forward.

And it would be warmly welcomed by all the businesses and organisations that find themselves affected when staff are unable to get themselves in whenever the big freeze hits and the knock-on effects that has on the whole community.