Council staff praised for hard work during recent storms

COUNCIL staff have been praised for all their hard work during the stormy weather over the Christmas and New Year period.

Street Scene crews and Property Services staff responded to hundreds of calls as torrential rain and high winds battered the county, even working on Christmas Day.

Over the two week period from December 23 to January 3 highways crews responded to more than 500 calls to deal with storm water flooding, tidal flooding and wind damage, fallen trees and gritting action due to ice and hail.

More than 2,500 sandbags were distributed to residents and businesses across the county to help keep floodwater out.

In the Llanelli area, assistance was given to residents in Llangennech affected by flooding from the River Morlais with sandbags provided to those in need.

The coastal road between Ferryside and Kidwelly near the Carmarthen Bay Holiday Village also had to be closed due to flooding.

In Pendine, temporary measures were taken to provide a defence barrier due to the severe weather/flood warnings and the high tide.

Between January 2 and January 4 more than 30 operatives were deployed each day from the Carmarthen depot to respond to calls.

Property Services teams dealt with over 100 emergency jobs as a result of the stormy weather including damage to homes, schools and council buildings.

Many were leaking roofs, including Llanelli Town Hall and Llanelli Library; and Model Primary School in Carmarthen had part of its lead roof stripped off by the wind.

In council homes, they carried out a range of repairs, including making electrical sockets safe where water had leaked, and replacing locks which had been damaged by the high wind.

Over the Christmas and New Year period, they also dealt with well over a 100 domestic heating emergencies.

Executive Board Member for Technical Services Cllr Colin Evans said: “I would like to thank all the staff who were working over the holiday period in what were quite appalling weather conditions.

“We received a large number of calls, with staff working 24 hours a day and often going above and beyond the call of duty to try to keep disruption to a minimum and residents safe.

“Hundreds of sandbags were provided, roads cleared of fallen trees and other debris, and assistance given to the police and fire service in various incidents. Our crews do a fantastic job and really are a credit to the council.”