Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley has entered the fray over “dangerous” roads and pavement during the cold snap.
He has written to Fife Council chief executive Ronnie Hinds saying the condition of streets was “simply not good enough” and hopes to gain support from community groups to “put pressure on the council to to recognise the failure to make the streets safe is not acceptable.”
However, administration leader Peter Grant hit back, claiming the winter gritting policy “the one Mr Rowley claims to know nothing about” was supported by Labour councillors months ago.
Mr Rowley said, “In most of central and west Fife the roads and pavements were left covered in ice and were absolutely treacherous.
“In our housing schemes the roads and pavements have not been treated with salt and this is not acceptable.”
He said head of transport Dr Bob McLellan confirmed sand had been used on footpaths since salt conservation methods kicked in on December 6.
Mr Rowley is calling for a further review.
“Fife Council must get its act together and secure more salt,” he added.
Mr Grant replied, “Everything that Mr Rowley is complaining about the way we prioritise different routes, the treatment standards that apply to footpaths, the salt conservation measures we will take in the event of exceptionally severe conditions, even down to the number of tonnes of salt we will have in stock at the start of the winter this is all detailed in the policy that was unanimously agreed last year.
“Mr Rowley got sent his own personal copy of the policy at the start of the winter. It’s ridiculous for him to claim he doesn’t know what the policy is.”