COUNCIL staff in Monmouthshire have been praised for being in the front line of dealing with the recent run of severe weather.

From floods to frost and snow, the authority says its staff have worked at all hours seven days a week to support communities in the county. And the authority is well prepared for the wintery weather that's already beginning to make itself felt.

Cllr Bryan Jones, cabinet member for county operations, said: "From putting out sandbags during the recent floods, to dealing with the landslips at Ty Fry above Llangwm and on the A466 between Llandogo and Bigsweir Bridge, our people have have done an amazing job of supporting our communities against the worst that the weather can throw at us."

With Christmas fast approaching, the council says it is well prepared for the seasonal weather that has already arrived.

"We began the winter with 10,000 tonnes of road salt – 2,500 tonnes more than previous maximum levels which never ran out, even during the severe winters of 2009-10 and 2010-11. Our normal gritting routes cover around a third of Monmouthshire's 1,000 miles of highway," said Cllr Jones.

"Our gritting crews have been out most nights over the past two weeks, often working into the small hours to keep our roads as safe as possible for the communities we serve. If the weather stays cold, that work won't let up – even over Christmas. So while we celebrate and enjoy ourselves in the weeks ahead, please spare a thought of the council workers who will carry on gritting and clearing snow from our roads whenever it's needed."