COUNCILS have been told to cut their salt use by 25 percent to make supplies last longer in the cold snap, but civic leaders in the district say they are confident it should not cause chaos.

The emergency order from government transport secretary Lord Adonis was issued to councils and the Highways Agency, and the government’s “salt cell” will meet again on Tuesday to direct the distribution of new supplies.

Cllr Geoffrey Brierley, Dorset County Council’s cabinet member for strategic planning and transportation, said they were clearing roads but pavements were for the local councils to deal with.

“We have something like two and a half thousand tonnes left to grit plus another two thousand tonnes which we bought from Northern Ireland which arrived in Bristol on Friday (jan8),” he said.

“We have no problems at all and have been lending salt to the Highways Agency and Bournemouth council and we are going to lend some salt to Hampshire.”

Cllr Brierley said it was his personal opinion that the government was “interfering”.

“I think the government should have left it alone. It was working perfectly well,” he added.

Cllr John Beesley, cabinet member at Bournemouth Borough Council, said: “I think our staff have done a magnificent job in extreme circumstances. I have absolute confidence they will continue to do so.

“The supply chain is intact. I’m not aware of any government instructions that are going to materially affect the state of the roads in Bournemouth.”

Cllr Mike White, transportation cabinet member at the Borough of Poole, said they had been gritting the major roads and secondary roads, and some pavements, whereas some councils did not grit pavements at all.

He said they did not have any concern about supplies.

“I would say there is no cause for concern, at least as far as Poole is concerned.”