AS the Met office warns of extreme winter conditions, Wirral Council is proposing to remove nearly 200 grit bins in the hope of saving £55,000.

A councillor warned elderly people could become “housebound” as the local authority considers not filling 198 grit bins across the borough.

Wirral Council currently provides grit bins at 298 locations and says not having to fill 198 of them will “ensure that resources used for that purpose are available for propriety winter services and other highway maintenance activity”.

The move is outlined in the authority’s own budget “consultation” document.

A section detailing the consequences of essentially removing a third of the borough’s grit bins states: “Users will need to take care on icy surfaces, and if they choose to, clear snow from the pavement near their homes, if not on a priority salting route”.

In the report, the council says communities “are welcome to continue filling the bins with salt themselves” if they wish to but admits community and voluntary services that support vulnerable residents “may face increased demand if those residents choose not to go out themselves”.

The proposal comes at the same time as Wirral Council is looking to remove 41 school crossing patrols in “safe” locations where puffin, pelican and pedestrian crossing already exist.

Oxton Liberal Democrat Cllr Stuart Kelly, who has campaigned previously to save Wirral’s school crossings, said: “These particular cuts, school crossing patrols and the removal of grit bins, target the young and old in equal measure introducing danger from accidents going to school and for the elderly the admission that many will become housebound if icy roads and pavements aren’t adequately gritted because if they do venture out, slips are likely.”

Wirral Council will continue to provide salt spreading to the 10 priority routes, the clearance of ice and snow from these routes and major shopping areas and 100 grit bins which have been installed “in accordance with the criteria for the provision of grit bins”.