Snowflake Britain... Schools close before a single flake even falls!
ANGRY parents branded council chiefs ‘a joke’ yesterday for closing all schools in their county – before any snow actually fell.
Labour-run Flintshire Council in North Wales announced 78 schools would not open after the Met Office issued amber warnings for heavy snow.
But parents who scrambled to arrange childcare at short notice were furious when there was just a light dusting and some rain.
Darren Williams posted on social media: ‘Having to book time off work for this pitiful amount of snow – the people running the schools in Flintshire are a joke.’
In neighbouring Powys, only five schools were closed, while just one college and a secondary school shut in nearby Wrexham.
In England, only eight schools stayed shut in Derbyshire, even though it was one of the areas most affected by snow. Some
‘We’ve become too risk-averse’
other schools closed early. In South and West Yorkshire more than 100 schools closed at lunchtime after up to 2.4in of snow fell.
Mark Isherwood, Tory member of the Welsh Senedd for North Wales, said: ‘Those of my generation remember walking to school in deep snow. This decision does appear to have been excessive and failed to take into account the extreme impact it would have on parents and families.’
Senedd member Janet FinchSaunders, the Tory environment spokesman, said: ‘ We’ve become too risk-averse.’
A Met Office spokesman said: ‘Met Office warnings are used by decision makers and the public to stay safe. It’s for schools and councils to decide the level of response.’
A yellow weather warning for snow covered mid and northern Wales, the Midlands and the North yesterday and into the early hours today. More severe amber warnings were issued for North Wales, and the South Pennines and Peak District, with up to 10in (25cm) of snow predicted on high ground.
In the event, 6cm (2.4in) fell at Leek, Staffordshire, and Bingley,
West Yorkshire, and a ‘few centimetres’ in North Wales.
Flintshire Council’s decision not to open schools was defended by headteachers and council chiefs.
Bronwen Hughes, head of Ysgol Maes Garmon, in Mold, said: ‘We had an email yesterday giving us instructions to close the school. We have to consider safety issues. There’s nothing worse than snow
at lunchtime and then the worry about how everybody will get home.’ Mared Eastwood, cabinet member for education at Flintshire Council, said: ‘We recognise the childcare difficulties, but... an amber warning does recommend essential journeys only.’
Heavy snow caused road closures in the Peak District. Last night a woman was killed in a crash
involving a car and lorry near Buxton, Derbyshire.
Heavy rain hit southern England and South Wales yesterday, where 1.34in (3.42cm) was recorded over 12 hours at Treherbert, Mid Glamorgan, and 1.17in (2.98cm) at Plumpton, East Sussex. The Met Office said further hill snow is expected today in central areas, with showers in the South.