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Council statement from earlier today (Friday)General household collection services will remain suspended for today (Friday 2 March).  However, waste and recycling is being collected as scheduled from flats above shops where gritting has taken place and from homes along red routes.If your waste and recycling was not collected as scheduled this week on Wednesday 28 February, Thursday 1 March or today please leave your black bins out this weekend at the edge of your property, as every effort will be made to clear the backlog where it is safe to do so.  Food waste and recycling will be collected early next week (Monday and Tuesday).  At this stage we do not expect next week’s scheduled collections to be impacted.We apologise for the inconvenience of the last few days and thank all residents affected for their patience and understanding.Other work that is ongoing includes:Gritting of all primary and secondary routes took place yesterday evening, finishing after midnight.  From 9.30am this morning work will begin to re-grit all primary and secondary routes, to avoid rush hour traffic.Gritting continues on primary footways and street cleaning are supporting gritting activityCommercial waste is being collected as normal from town centres and secondary shopping areas where gritting has taken place.Litter bins are being emptied and flytipping removed from town centres and secondary shopping areasHousehold waste recycling centres are open.Community centres are open as normal. Two libraries (Acton & Greenford) and day care facilities in the borough remain closed and will look to reopen on Monday. Currently, 70 schools have notified the council that they will be closed today.  Parents and carers are advised to contact their child’s school for an update.

Paul Webster ● 2979d

Here is how the council portrays itPublished Thursday 1 March 2018Ealing Council is working to ensure that disruption to services is minimised during the ongoing severe weather.With further snowfall and freezing temperatures forecast to continue, disruption is likely to continue for a few days.  As normal, the council’s winter maintenance gritting plan is in place to reduce risk to residents and to keep roads open during times of snow and freezing conditions.The council currently has up to 60 officers working and five gritters in operation to service roads and footways across the borough. Since yesterday roughly 800km of Ealing’s roads has been serviced with more than 500 tonnes of grit, including some roads multiple times. The council has a stock of 3,500 tonnes at Greenford Depot.Due to snow and icy conditions on local roads, waste and recycling collections in the borough are currently suspended. The council is monitoring the situation and working with the contractor to ensure that they are resumed as soon as it becomes safe to do so. Disruption is expected over the next few days until weather conditions return to normal.  Extra resources will be diverted to ensure the swiftest possible clean-up takes place once collections resume.Residents are asked to do what they can to manage household waste and save space whilst collections are suspended. This can be done by flattening cardboard boxes and squashing plastic bottles and drinks cartons so they take up less space in recycling bins.Street cleaners have been diverted to help the council’s highways service with the gritting of priority areas.Updates are available via twitter and facebook and residents should check the council’s website for updates about when to leave their bins out for collection.Commercial collections are taking place from town centres and smaller shopping parades, with Litterbins and fly-tips also being collected from these locations.There are currently 63 schools in the borough closed due to the weather conditions. Other schools are closing early to allow staff and students to get home. Schools are responsible for alerting parents and making arrangements locally for any change to school hours.Day care facilities in the borough are closed and staff are visiting vulnerable people in their own homes over this period. Acton and Greenford libraries are also shut.People are asked to take care if visiting parks in the borough as paths may be icy and slippery. Where possible, please check on vulnerable friends or neighbours and offer help if it’s needed, maybe by clearing snow from footpaths.The council’s winter maintenance gritting plan is in place to reduce risk to residents and to keep roads open during times of snow and freezing conditions.

Paul Webster ● 2979d