District ‘faces loss of 100 grit bins’

North Yorkshire County Council has begun a review of grit bins in Harrogate and Knaresborough and is set to undertake a similar move in Scarborough as part of long-standing plans to take over control of roads in both areas which are finalised this week.

A county council spokesman said it would be relinquishing control of bins that did not meet the county council’s criteria, and stressed a figure had not yet been disclosed.

But the leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, Coun Geoff Webber, has maintained that he has been told up to 100 grit bins in Harrogate and Knaresborough would go, unless they were funded by Harrogate Borough Council.

Coun Webber said: “I find it difficult to believe that after the last two bad winters, anyone would suggest reducing the provision of grit bins. I will do all I can to prevent this.”

North Yorkshire County Council will oversee roads across both Harrogate and Scarborough from today in a move vehemently opposed by the borough authorities.

The handover in Harrogate took place at the start of April last year, while the county council will assume responsibility for all highway and traffic issues in Scarborough from today.