COUNCILLORS are to continue to push for Kirklees to stockpile salt to keep the region’s roads open.

The decision to buy 25,000 tonnes last year, after problems with shortages in the previous winter, has been praised.

And the efforts of the council’s highways workers so far this winter to keep roads clear have also been welcomed.

Most routes have been kept open, other than the A6024 Holme Moss and the A635 Greenfield route which shut for a time at the weekend.

The winter planning and gritting teams have been given the approval of scrutiny councillors.

A report to be presented to Cabinet next week backs the current approach of buying in bulk salt supplies and the approach taken on gritting roads.

News of the review comes after more bitter weather was forecast for the Huddersfield area.

Temperatures again dropped below freezing last night and Salendine Nook meteorologist Paul Stevens expects more of the same in the days to come.

“It has not been as cold as last week, when we recorded a temperature of minus 7 degrees, but it is dropping below freezing each night and not rising by too much during the day.

“The next few days look set for much of the same, with cold and dry weather.

“We may get some snow showers but nothing as bad in the east of the region, and I think the big problem will be ice”.

The Scrutiny Committee report does however put forward proposals for future improvement.

Councillors recommend the Streetscene and Housing service continue training and development for senior officers, with work shadowing to ensure that knowledge is shared and organisation is not affected if staff leave.

They also recommend continuing to bulk buy salt in advance for future winters, and liaising with area committee members to achieve the best locations for grit bins across the district.

Clr Andrew Marchington, who led the review said: “We are pleased that the review has clearly shown that the council has improved the effectiveness of the work carried out in dealing with winter conditions.

“Severe weather can disrupt routine services that people rely on, and it is important that we communicate fully with people to ensure that they know about changes to services and we plan well enough in advance to ensure that the disruption is minimal.

“I am pleased that Cabinet supports the recommendations that should help to improve this service even further.”

Meanwhile, weather records from the University of Huddersfield show January was both the warmest and wettest January since 2008 and was significantly warmer than those experienced between 2009 and 2011.

The monthly mean temperature was 5.26°C compared to the average for January of 5.16°C making it the warmest January since 2008.

The warmest day of the month with an average temperature of 10.2°C was Wednesday 11th.

The coldest day of the month was Sunday 15th with an average temperature of -1.6°C.

The lowest minimum temperature of -3.8°C was recorded on Saturday 14th. The temperature fell below zero on five days of the month.