Councils urge people to watch out for elderly during pre-Xmas cold snap

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called upon people to support council teams by checking in on elderly and vulnerable residents during a forecasted cold snap this weekend.

The Met Office have issued a Level 2 Cold weather alert for the Midlands and north of England on Friday and Saturday.

They have warned there may be heavy snow and blizzards developing across Scotland and northern England with a risk of freezing rain in places.

In addition to this it is increasingly expected that there will be widespread overnight frosts, and as a result, councils are appealing to residents to do their bit to help keep neighbours, friends and loved ones safe.

Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA’s Transport spokesman, said: “As always, council teams spend the winter months checking in on elderly and vulnerable residents to make sure they are well and coping, and we encourage communities to spare a bit of time looking out for each other.

“This could be a simple knock at the door to check on an elderly neighbour, or helping to carry out emergency repairs, because everyone has a role to play to keep each other safe this winter.

The LGA’s annual Winter Readiness Survey has revealed how councils have prepared for the upcoming big freeze and any flooding this winter. It states that 94 per cent of councils have either more salt in stock for this year, or the same level as they did last year.

It also says: ‘Councils are well prepared for the onset of winter and the sharp drop in temperatures, with 1.4 million tonnes of salt stockpiled.’