Statement from Monmouthshire County Council:
Services in Monmouthshire continue to be affected by the current severe weather conditions, although where possible our staff have continued to provide front line public services. Staff are working from local offices or home and essential front line social care services are being delivered with the aid of 4×4 vehicles.
The Council’s One Stop Shops remain open, as does the Council switchboard and emergency lines. County Hall is open.
We are concerned that people keep warm and safe, so we have put a link from the front page of the council web site (www.monmouthshire.gov.uk) to Directgov advice on keeping warm and getting financial help with heating bills.
Despite the current conditions, the Council is able to maintain key front line services. We were also able to keep the public informed of service changes through out one stop shops, the media and – of course – our web site (www.monmouthshire.gov.uk), which was being updated from 5am. The web site continues to have a high level of use and remains the first point of call for up to date service information.
The current position in Monmouthshire is as follows:
Gritting
“Salt Cell”, the UK’s emergency planning coordination body for road salt supplies has identified that there is little chance of salt supplies meeting demand for at least the next five days.
Prior to the current unusually long spell of wintry weather Monmouthshire County Council had full stocks of road salt, amounting to 7500 tonnes. Demand on this stock has been intense since the bad weather set in before Christmas. We have salted 1600km (995 miles) of roads up to three times per day. In the three days to 7th January, this has totalled 6000km (3728 miles) – equivalent to a return trip to Voronezh in Russia.
We ordered new stocks of salt before Christmas, but these have still not arrived. Supplies are being co-ordinated nationally by the National Assembly for Wales and Local Authorities that have lower stocks of salt than us are being prioritised. Ironically, therefore, our excellent state of preparation for this spell of bad weather means that at the current level of usage we will be in danger of running out of road salt before we can be re-supplied.
We are aware that further snowfalls are forecast for Sunday and Monday. Given this we have revised our forward planning and will start to ration our supplies of salt.
We have decided that we will conserve our salt stocks as follows:
- We will continue to salt primary routes, but the weather forecast through to Sunday means that we will only be salting twice a day rather than the current three times a day
- We will discontinue routine salting on non priority rural routes
- We will continue to concentrate resources on clearing urban roads and pavements, but using a lower grade of grit to conserve salt supplies
- The county’s 2500 roadside salt / grit bins will continue to be stocked, but we will use a lower grade of grit
We will, of course, endeavour to respond to critical need on a case by case basis.
Schools
The decision to close a school is taken by the head teacher. At present, the following schools in Monmouthshire are closed:
- Boverton House Pupil Referral Centre
- Caldicot School
- Caldicot Green Lane
- Caldicot West End
- Cantref Primary
- Castle Park Primary including Red Robins playgroup
- Chepstow Comprehensive School
- Clydach Pupil Referral Centre
- Cross Ash Primary
- Deri View Primary
- Durand Primary
- Gilwern Primary
- Govilon Primary
- Goytre Fawr Primary
- Kymin View Primary
- Llandogo Primary
- Llanfair Kilgeddin
- Llanfoist Fawr Primary School
- Llanover Primary
- Llantillio Pertholey Primary
- Llanvihangel Crucorney Primary
- Monmouth Comprehensive
- Mounton House
- Osbaston CIW Primary
- Our Lady & St Michaels RC Primary
- Overmonnow Primary
- Pembroke Primary
- Raglan Primary School
- Rogiet Primary
- St Mary’s RC Primary School
- Shirenewton Primary
- The Dell
- Thornwell Primary
- Trellech Primary
- Undy Primary
- Usk CIW Primary
- Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni
- Ysgol Y Ffin
If there are any other schools closed the website will be updated as soon as we are notified.
Public Transport
The following publicly subsidised routes are disrupted:
- Service 43 – Main road only
- Service 65 – The Narth and Llansoy NOT passable
Operators continue to make risk assessments on routes to maintain a normal level of service. This situation may change throughout today and so would ask that the operators are contacted directly to receive the latest updates.
Community Transport (Grass Routes)
All Grass Routes Services in Abergavenny and Monmouth areas not be available today.
Services in Caldicot and Chepstow will attempt to run along main road routes which may be passable today.
Social Services
All day services are closed for today. People attending such services have been contacted individually and alternative support arranged where this is essential. We will make a decision about opening services on Monday, early on Monday morning. Our main concern is the safety of transport users.
The Community Meals service is now running as normal. There may be some delays due to the weather conditions.
Most homecare services (Monmouthshire County Council and Independent sector services) are being provided, but some non-essential calls have been cancelled. Those service users who live in remote locations are being reached using 4×4 vehicles, but there will be some delay and alteration to their normal call times and frequency. We are prioritising services and are in regular contact with those people subject to disruption to their usual services.
All agencies are endeavouring where possible to cover calls by a variety of means, including using 4×4 vehicles or walking to service users’ homes. We are assisting each other to maintain a good level of service.
If you need to contact social services please do so via the one stop shops
Refuse Collections
There will be no refuse collections today. We are reviewing the weather conditions and hope to resume normal services on Monday.
We have arranged for the all the Community Amenity sites to be opened. This will allow those who need / want to, to take refuse or recycling direct to the sites. They are at:
- Llanfoist
- Abergavenny
- Maryport St Car Park ( North) in Usk
- Troy at Monmouth
- Five Lanes near Caerwent
Libraries
The following libraries are open:
- Abergavenny Library
- Caldicot Library
- Chepstow Library
- Gilwern Library (closed at 4.30 pm)
- Monmouth Library
- Usk Library
The public is advised to contact the libraries directly to check on opening and closing times.
Leisure Centres
The following leisure centres are open, but with a limited service:
- Abergavenny Leisure Centre – will be closing at 9pm
- Caldicot Leisure Centre – will be closing at 7pm (Please note that the swimming pool in Caldicot is closed until further notice)
- Chepstow Leisure Centre – will be closing at 9pm
- Monmouth Leisure Centre
Whilst all Leisure Centres are open, the public are advised to check with their local Centre before setting out to ensure that the activity they want is running.
Adult Education
All Adult Education classes are cancelled today. In addition, the following Adult Education Centres are closed:
- Overmonnow Family Learning Centre
- Gilwern CEC closed
- Abergavenny Youth and Community Centre closed
Students should ring their local leisure or community education centre when they re-open for details of individual courses.
Museums
- Abergavenny Museum open
- Chepstow Museum Open
- Monmouth Museum Open
Outlook
The freezing weather is set to continue and there is a good chance of further snow falls at the weekend. We are already planning for this eventuality.
Paul Matthews, Monmouthshire County Council’s Chief Executive, has again praised the dedication of staff in providing services during the last three weeks of wintry weather. He said:
“We are continuing to work had to ensure that we deliver key services to local people. Things are getting back to normal, although our schools remain closed. The main issue now for us is to plan for the continuing cold weather and the possibility of more snow arriving on Sunday.”
