Glen Sanderson praises council staff for their hard work during severe winter conditions
Northumberland: The North East faced a heavy snowfall over the weekend, prompting the Met Office to issue a rare amber weather warning. It was quite the sight!
Because of the snow, several schools in the area had to stay closed, which delayed kids getting back to class after the Christmas break. Talk about a long holiday!
The council mentioned that the western part of the county got hit the hardest, with some drivers reporting up to five inches of snow. That’s a lot of snow to deal with!
The winter services team has been working non-stop to clear the roads and spread grit. They’ve really been putting in the hours to keep things moving.
In a chat with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council leader Glen Sanderson expressed his pride in the team’s efforts. He said they have about 100 staff dedicated to this work, and they’ve been doing a fantastic job.
He also noted that the investment in weather stations has been a game changer, helping them use salt more efficiently. It’s great to see the council stepping up to meet the needs of residents and drivers in Northumberland.
Glen mentioned that the snow spread pretty wide, which meant staff had to work long shifts to keep everyone safe. He’s really proud of the team’s dedication.
Northumberland has its charm, but those rural roads can be a bit tricky in winter. Thankfully, the county council has been rising to the challenge.
They’ve got a fleet of 28 vehicles ready to tackle winter weather, with spreaders and ploughs on 4x4s positioned around the county for quick responses in tough-to-reach areas.
On top of that, they’ve opened community spaces as “warm hubs” to help residents who might be struggling to heat their homes. It’s a nice touch!
Glen added that he’s really proud of the work being done with these warm spaces and appreciates all the staff, volunteers, and organizations that help out. It’s so important for those feeling the chill to have a warm place to go.
