Burnley could be set to trial volunteer snow wardens

Teams of volunteer snow wardens could be set up across Burnley in order to keep the county’s more minor routes passable during the worst of the winter weather – and they might be helped by young offenders.
By John Deehan
Published 22nd Jan 2019, 11:08 BST
Updated 22nd Jan 2019, 12:15 BST
Volunteers would be provided with the necessary kit and training by the county councilVolunteers would be provided with the necessary kit and training by the county council
Volunteers would be provided with the necessary kit and training by the county council

The proposal, which is unlikely to take effect until winter 2019/20, could see youth offenders spreading grit on the roads and clearing snow as part of their community payback.

The idea was one of a series of recommendations made by a task group of county councillors exploring how Lancashire’s secondary routes can be kept safe when hit by severe weather events like last year’s so-called “Beast from the East”.

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Cabinet member for highways, County Coun. Keith Iddon, said that he “embraced” the suggestion that youth offenders should take part in the scheme, subject to receiving the necessary legal clearance.

“They will be mixing with other people and it may change somebody’s life in the future.

“They can work with [councillors] and may benefit from their wisdom and influence – [it might] change their attitude towards society,” County Coun. Iddon told a meeting of the authority’s internal scrutiny committee.

The wider volunteer scheme would involve co-ordinated teams being provided with the necessary kit and training by the county council.

However, members heard that “a significant amount of work” was still required in order to determine exactly how it would operate and that it would first be trialled in the east of the county.