Frontline council services will continue to be disrupted throughout tomorrow (Thursday) because of the heavy snow that has fallen.

Updates will be posted to this website when we get them, and to our Twitter and Facebook. You can also discuss the bin collections on the discussion board in Facebook.

The council has issued the following statement: “Bolton Council services for today (6 January) and tomorrow (7 January) during the severe weather. Further heavy snow is expected to fall during the evening and overnight, according to the Met Office, which may affect council services.

Bin collections

Bin collections have been suspended in Bolton today due to the weather. Staff are in work and are gritting and clearing town centre footpaths.

Gritting

Council staff have been gritting and ploughing continually all night and all day today. Due to the volume and depth of snow, the council is concentrating on the main arterial and ring roads, in order to concentrate resources where they will have the most impact. This means that some of the minor roads on the approved gritting routes will not be receiving any attention in the short term. The roads being prioritised are:

All of the A6
Blackburn Rd
St Peters Way
Belmont Rd
Chorley Old Rd
Crompton Way
Scout Rd
Chorley New Rd
Bury Rd
Newbrook Rd
Wigan Rd
St Helens Rd
De Havilland Way
Snydle Way
Leigh Rd
Cricketers Way
Watergate Ln
Smethurst Ln
Bradford Rd
Manchester Rd A666
Church St, Little Lever
Market S,t Little Lever
Stopes Rd, Little Lever
Tonge Moor Road
Hall Lane, Little Lever

Staff will continue gritting around the clock on the main arterial and ring roads until it is safe to reduce the service to its optimal level and address the other roads on the gritting routes. Ploughs will be deployed where snow is two inches deep or greater. All available streetscene and waste management staff have also been out clearing footpaths in the town centres all day.

Schools

Schools which have already planned to close tomorrow can be found on the council website.

Social care

Social care support is being maintained for the most vulnerable people. Those who receive home care services are being contacted individually to receive support.

The ‘meals on wheels’ (community meals) service will be limited but emergency arrangements are in place if needed.

Day care services are expected to be closed for the rest of the week, depending upon the weather.

Social services helpdesk and advice line will be open.

The child protection service will be working.

The council is also asking for anybody who has a vulnerable neighbour to check on them and make sure they are alright and if there is anything they might need.

Libraries and museum

All libraries due to to be open today are open as normal. Highfield Library will be closed tomorrow. Bolton Museum will remain closed today.

Planning Committee meeting

Due to the weather we have had to cancel this weeks Planning Committee meeting tomorrow. It has been rearranged for Thursday 14 January.