Neighbours and landlords must look out for vulnerable

16 December 2011

Council leaders are calling on residents and landlords to look out for vulnerable neighbours and tenants as more severe weather is predicted over the weekend.

Gritters were out in force last night as snow carpeted much of the country and heavy rain, strong winds, snow and ice is predicted to last until Monday in many areas, particularly northern England and Wales.

Councils are receiving up-to-the-minute forecasts from weather experts and gritters are on standby to hit the roads at a moment's notice. Snow warden schemes are being implemented and town hall websites and Twitter feeds constantly updated with information on local forecasts, road conditions, gritting routes and services.

However, councils also need their communities to be their eyes and ears and look out for the vulnerable who risk being forgotten as people close themselves away from the lashing rain and freezing nights. Landlords must also carry out any heating repairs they know are needed so tenants aren't left shivering in their own homes.

Cllr Peter Box, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Economy and Transport Board, said:

“Councils have got more salt this year along with better plans and new technology to make it go further. They've installed and filled thousands of extra grit bins, given equipment to parish councils, community groups and snow wardens, and their websites will be constantly updated with the latest information. We're more prepared than we've ever been to keep roads safe and traffic moving.

“Highways, street-cleaning and park staff could also be drafted in to help clear snow and ice around places like shops, schools and sheltered accommodation. Others will be delivering hot meals, collecting prescriptions, delivering portable heaters, defrosting pipes, and arranging basic checks on residents they know are vulnerable to make sure they're okay.

“Council staff can't be everywhere however and they rely on community-spirited residents to look out for each other. Just a quick knock on the door of an elderly neighbour who's perhaps too proud or unable to ask for help can make all the difference. They may just need an extra blanket getting down from the loft or perhaps they didn't get out to collect their medicine this week. Postmen, milkmen and paperboys can also be life-savers by ringing the bell if they notice something unusual.

“Landlords need to be conscientious and check their tenants' heating is working or carry out as soon as possible any repairs they know are needed. Landlords have important responsibilities to their tenants and it's simply unacceptable to knowingly put off any boiler repairs, particularly as winter is setting in proper now. Councils will step in and force them to do the job if needs be.”

Private landlords have responsibilities to their tenants and if they do not carry out repairs in regard to meeting minimum requirements, such as replacing broken boilers, the council can step in to ensure the work is carried out. The council negotiates with the landlord and if the repair is still not carried out it can serve an Enforcement Notice on them to get the work done. If the landlord doesn't co-operate, the council can either get the work done themselves and then recharge the landlord or prosecute the landlord.

CASE STUDIES

Over the past year, Doncaster Council's Private Sector Housing Team has dealt with 530 complaints about private landlords not carrying out a range of repairs. Complaints about housing conditions increase over the winter months.

Bristol City Council is working with volunteer Snow Wardens in 25 sites where steep hills and tricky corners make life difficult for local residents if it snows heavily. The council has provided shovels and hi-viz jackets to help the wardens to salt and clear icy areas and arrange basic checks on elderly or vulnerable neighbours. There will be 750 grit bins for residents throughout the city as well as 100 grit dumps in areas where snow is forecast. The council's snow plan is available online and includes interactive maps, snow clearing advice, important telephone numbers, gritting updates, transport updates, waste collection updates and school closures.

Surrey County Council has joined forces with the charity Surrey 4x4 Response, whose 70 volunteers use their vehicles to help vulnerable people in bad weather. Other organisations, including the British Red Cross, also work with the county council to help Surrey through extreme weather.

Stroud District Council's neighbourhood wardens will be out visiting vulnerable people to help to clear paths around sheltered housing schemes, collect prescriptions, provide supplies to people who can't leave their homes and help those affected by frozen boilers. Its 4x4 vehicles are also on hand to drive nurses to appointments.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has published a leaflet sent to thousands of residents, as part of its regular magazine, about winter and council services, including how to clear pavements, drive in snow and the locations of its 300 grit bins. It's geared up to issue daily online and media bulletins about gritting works, school closures, weather forecasts and where to get salt, and will also be putting out regular tweets and face book updates.

Notes:

Last winter about 27,000 people died in England and Wales as a result of the cold temperatures, a rate that is far higher than in comparable countries. Most of these were aged over 75, and their deaths could have been avoided with better preparation for cold weather.

The LGA's Winter Readiness Survey 2011/12 found:

· 51 per cent of councils have more salt for the start of this year's winter gritting season than last year's, with 48 per cent aiming for the same amount.

· Councils have about 1.4 million tonnes of salt, 200,000 more than this time last year. That's about 4,900 tonnes each, 1,500 more tonnes than this time last year

· Last winter councils each spread on average 4,000 tonnes of salt, about three-quarters of their total stocked throughout the season (5,500)

· Nearly a third of councils have bought new gritters.

· 99 per cent will be regularly updating their websites with weather, gritting, and services information.

For report available here - http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=20879981

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