Date: 07 January 2010 BROCKLEBANK : ‘SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT MUST INVESTIGATE REASONS FOR FIFE COUNCIL RUNNING OUT OF GRIT AND SALT’ Today in the Scottish Parliament Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Ted Brocklebank, questioned John Swinney over why Fife Council has experienced the greatest difficulties of any Scottish council over its stock levels of salt and grit.
Mr Brocklebank asked the Cabinet Secretary;
“Can Mr Swinney give the chamber an assurance that a complete explanation will be provided as to why Fife, apparently, experienced the most severe problems over low salt and gritting stocks of any Scottish council.
“Can he specifically seek answers as to whether the blame lay with contractors who failed to live up to their delivery obligations, as claimed by the convenor of the transportation committee on Fife Council, or whether the local authority allowed stocks to fall too low without having made alternative arrangements?”
The Cabinet Secretary replied that he had concentrated on tackling the shortage by taking steps to divert supplies to Fife from trunk road operators and looked for assistance from other local authorities. Mr Swinney added that he believed that the “matter of who said what to whom is a matter for Fife Council.”
Speaking after questioning Mr Swinney, Ted Brocklebank said;
“I am disappointed that Mr Swinney does not feel it to be appropriate for the Government to investigate the reasons for Fife Council running out of road treatment supplies earlier this week. We must have a full investigation to ascertain whether there has been mismanagement within Fife Council that has contributed to the problems seen in the Kingdom.
“Fife Council is unlikely to undertake an investigation itself as it believes the lack of salt supplies is solely down to delivery failures by their suppliers. The Government must reconsider its position and provide an explanation as it is imperative that we know if there were other contributory factors. Only then will we be able to believe that Fife Council is fully prepared to cope with severe weather conditions in the future.” | 
