Cyngor Gwynedd urges people to prepare for winter

With winter upon us, Cyngor Gwynedd is urging local people to be prepared for the possibility of severe weather, helping to protect themselves, their families and their property.

It is predicted that stormy weather will become more commonplace because of the effects of climate change and the Council is encouraging people to make the best use of its online resource that brings together useful information and guidance.

The web page www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/winter aims to offer Gwynedd residents a one-stop-shop to get advice about preparing for winter, what to do if severe weather affects essential public services and details of the support available to keep warm.

The page includes information and details regarding:

• Which Gwynedd roads are treated with grit and information about grit bins.
• How to report problems such as a fallen tree, surface water on the roads or faulty streetlights.
• Council services that may have been affected during severe weather.
• Useful links to key authorities and agencies such as Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Water, the electricity network and the local health board.
• Support to heat your home including details of possible financial support for people to tackle fuel poverty.

The Council also recommends that members of the public to keep an eye on the Council's social media accounts – and those of key partners such as the Met Office, emergency services and Traffic Wales – during periods of severe weather, to be aware of the latest warnings and news.

Those who do not use social media are encouraged to listen to reliable news bulletins on local radio stations during periods of bad weather.

Councillor Menna Trenholme, Cyngor Gwynedd's Corporate Support Cabinet Member with responsibility for emergency planning, said:

“It feels as if winter comes around quicker every year. We’ve already seen severe weather over the recent weeks with storms Ciarán and Debi hitting parts of the country. The temperature has certainly dropped over the last few days too.

“Winter often has its challenges, but we can all minimise the impact by taking small steps to be prepared. If you haven't already given the issue any though, it's a good time to make sure you know what support is available should stormy or cold weather hit the region, and to think about what you can do to prepare.

“I'm delighted that this page on the Council's website brings lots of useful information for all of us together in one place, for example information about the main gritting routes, how to report problems to the Council caused by bad weather or how to be notified of flood warnings.

“I would encourage everyone to take a look at the useful advice and practical support available on the www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/winter page and save the details as a favourite in case you need it in the future.”

Councillor Menna Trenholme added: “I also encourage people who use social media sites such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to look for useful accounts to follow, so they get the latest information straight to their phone, tablet or computer."

Visit www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/winter to browse some useful information to help Gwynedd residents prepare for winter.