Council staff work around the clock to keep services running

  THE council is doing all it can to conserve its salt stocks to keep main roads open during the Christmas holiday period.

Salt supplies are running low across Wales, however, Carmarthenshire is much better placed than some authorities.

Holding stock is now down to 35 per cent – or 4,200 tonnes – from the start of the winter season, but further supplies are expected from Sweden next week.

The council’s gritting and ploughing teams have been working flat out – getting through about 900 tonnes a day when there is snow on the ground.

Chief executive Mark James said: “We have enough to keep primary routes going over Christmas and we are one of only a few councils which have ordered supplies from abroad. 12,000 tonnes is expected in by ship at Newport Docks on December 28, of which 5,500 tonnes are ours.

“Last year we ordered 1,000 tonnes of extra salt during the summer. This year we ordered a further 2,500 tonnes of salt on top of that.

“We have also ordered another shipment from Sweden during mid-January. We ordered these extra shipments from abroad during the autumn as we suspected the mine in Cheshire, which is the only one in the UK, would struggle to keep up with demand this winter, after last winter. Unfortunately this is now the case and we can’t get our salt stocks replenished.

“We have almost all technical staff now redeployed into gritting, emergency responses, transporting nurses into hospitals, social care staff to elderly clients in their homes, residential care homes etc. Lots of these have been volunteering over the weekend and we are working on a volunteer rota to ensure we can help people in a similar way over Christmas.”

Approximately 300 tonnes of stone grit has also been recycled from last year to treat roads and footways in towns and villages across the county – again helping the council’s salt stocks go further. The stone grit was mixed with salt last year to put on our pavements. It was then swept back up and stored in our depots.

Residents are being reminded to take extra care and only make journeys where absolutely necessary. While main roads generally remain open, most side roads and streets remain untreated. If you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours please check on them.