Thanks to council staff

First of all, let’s pay tribute to all the staff of South Lanarkshire Council , especially the gritters who have worked very long shifts, to keep all the services running in the bad weather.

All the council’s workers have done their very best and battled through very bad weather to get to work and all credit to them.

Bins were collected and repairs were done even in treacherous conditions, teachers got themselves to school and libraries and council buildings were open.

In fact,everyone who works anywhere who got themselves out and about last week deserves praise.

However, there is an issue of funding and resources which has been brought home starkly in recent weeks.

The council should have enough staff and enough vehicles and supplies to make sure that everyone can go about their lives and get to work and other essential activities safely.

This does not appear to have happened.

I fully understand that the priority must be to keep the roads moving and essential routes to schools and hospitals, fire stations and ambulance depots clear.

However, it should also be possible to ensure that people can safely leave their homes without risk of breaking a limb to get to the bus stop or school.

Are the council secretly sponsoring Dancing on Ice and getting us all to practice our moves?

After the main routes, there used to be a priority for sheltered housing. This has not happened this time.

Some older people in Woodend Road, Fernhill which is on a steep slope were marooned in their homes for nearly a week as they dare not risk a fall.

Even getting up the stairs from these flats to the pavement was treacherous and for some, simply impossible.

I know of one woman who had to cancel hospital and GP appointments because she could not risk a fall on these stairs or the pavement to even get into a car or taxi.

This area usually is fully gritted and a great job done with stairs and paths back and front but nothing at all this time.

Since the bin lorries were able to do their job, would it not have been a better idea to skip a bin uplift and have these workers put down some bags of grit with shovels?

The council does have a duty of care to all its council tax payers and particularly those who are old or ill.

There is a grit bin further down the road at the corner but it would be impossible to get to it or carry the grit up the hill.

It used to be that everyone would be obliged to clear the area outside their own door but this does not seem to happen nowadays either.

Of course, some people are unable to do so.

Some older residents have thrown salt on the path to try and clear it to get to the stairs but with little effect.

Even then the pavement is treacherous. I note that the council has encouraged people on twitter to look out for older people and offer to help them.

South Lanarkshire Council, despite its budget restrictions , should at all times ensure the safety of everyone who lives in the area.

I understand fully the huge pressures they are under but someone being unable to get to hospital or too afraid to go out of their own front door should not happen in a civilised country.

I noted that someone on a social media page was commenting that Rodger Drive had been gritted too many times.

We should not have to prioritise as everyone’s life and limb is as important as everyone else’s and the council should ensure there are contingency plans and funds put aside to ensure the safety of all.

Perhaps they would like to look at that.

Thank you once again to all the exhausted staff who did a great job but the powers that be need to look again at how things were handled and could the political parties please stop blaming each other and the SNP stop blaming Westminster and take a leaf out of the workers’ book and just get on with the job? Dorothy Connor, Rutherglen