Haslemere Town Council is making plans to keep the main retail areas – the town centre and Wey Hill – safe and open for business if there is a significant snowfall this winter. As in previous years, the council plans to stockpile bags of salt in both areas together with manual gritters.

The 2016/17 cold weather plan is part of the council’s overall emergency plan for Haslemere.

Mayor Sahran Abeysundara has already volunteered to act as snow warden for Wey Hill, where his business is based. Salt and a gritter will be stored at The Silkroad.

The council is now seeking a volunteer snow warden for the town centre. The warden should have a facility to store a quantity of salt and a gritter and be ready to act – or mobilise a team of helpers – as quickly as possible after a snowfall.

The town centre area includes the High Street, West Street and parts of Petworth Road, Lower Street and Shepherds Hill. The storage facilities used previously for this area are no longer available.

One of the council’s spreaders has apparently not been returned after being borrowed last winter, so there is a request for this to happen before any winter chill sets in.

For further information or to volunteer, please contact Sarah Nash, Deputy Town Clerk by email or telephone 01428 654305.