Streetscene crews keeping Flintshire moving in extreme weather

Flintshire County Council's Streetscene teams are stepping up preparations to keep essential services running safely as extreme weather continues to affect communities throughout the year.

From freezing winter mornings and heavy rainfall to summer heatwaves and severe storms, Streetscene crews work year-round to maintain the services that residents rely on.

Whether collecting household waste, maintaining highways, clearing fallen trees or responding to flooding, the teams play an important role in keeping Flintshire safe, clean and moving.

However, increased frequency of extreme weather brings additional challenges, and the Council recognises that protecting its workforce is just as important as maintaining services.

During periods of severe weather, managers continually assess conditions and make practical adjustments where necessary. These can include changing working hours, reviewing planned activities, providing additional support and prioritising essential or urgent work.

Where conditions become unsafe, activities may need to be postponed or alternative arrangements put in place.

Christopher Goddard, Streetscene Service Manager, said:

"Our Streetscene teams work in all sorts of conditions, often behind the scenes, to deliver services that people depend on every day. Extreme weather can make already demanding jobs even more challenging, and we must always put the safety of our employees and the public first.

"I'm grateful to our crews for their dedication and commitment, and I'd also like to thank residents for their patience and understanding when severe weather affects our services.

"Keeping services running during difficult weather takes careful planning, teamwork and a willingness to adapt. Our employees take real pride in the work they do for Flintshire's communities. We want to make sure they have the right support, equipment and working arrangements to carry out their duties safely.

"Sometimes that means doing things differently, and occasionally it means delaying work until conditions improve. Those decisions are about looking after our people while doing everything reasonably possible to maintain essential services."

Flintshire County Council is also encouraging residents to support Streetscene employees by allowing crews sufficient space to work safely, taking care around operational vehicles and following service updates during periods of disruption.

Councillor Glyn Banks, Cabinet Member for Waste and Transportation, said:

“Our Streetscene teams work hard to keep vital services running during challenging conditions, often going above and beyond to support our communities.

“The reality is that increasingly extreme weather can sometimes cause unavoidable disruption, but our priority will always be ensuring the safety of our crews while maintaining essential services wherever possible.

“I’d like to thank our workforce for their continued commitment, and residents for their support and patience when services are affected by severe weather.”

Residents can find the latest service information on the Council’s website and social media channels.