Snow Warden Volunteers Needed

Added at 21:50 on 22 July 2024

LCC Snow Warden Scheme – Guidance for Parish Councils

Leicestershire County Council is launching the snow warden scheme again this season and would like to invite Parish and Town Councils to get involved to help your community during the coming winter.

The snow warden scheme is primarily intended to provide local treatment of key footways during periods of prolonged snow and ice.

The pressure that severe winter conditions places on County Council resources means that we are not able to treat footways ourselves.

The objective of the snow warden scheme is to support the use of local resources to clear footways in the local community during prolonged severe weather. This locally delivered activity will enable greater community resilience when unfortunately, the County Council’s current budgetary position means we are not able to resource this service.

How the snow warden scheme works

If your Parish and Town Council would like to participate, this involves the following:

1. The Parish and Town Council identifies a snow warden, either an individual who undertakes grounds maintenance tasks or a volunteer.

2. The County Council will agree with the Parish and Town Council a schedule of footways that would be treated (marked maps with routes would be supplied).

3. The County Council will provide the necessary equipment for the snow warden which includes protective clothing, shovel, brush, and wheelbarrow.

4. The snow warden will undertake the relevant training provided by Leicestershire County Council before they are able to carry out any duties. This will cover safe working practices,

manual handling, salt use etc.

5. The snow warden will be indemnified against any third-party claims providing they operate within the terms of the agreement and adhere to the safety guidelines outlined in the training provided.

6. Written agreement will be drawn up between both parties (Parish/Town Council and Leicestershire County Council) to cover this service.

7. During extreme conditions of snow and ice, participating Parish and Town Councils will be notified by telephone to agree commencement of the footway treatment. If however communication is not received from the County Council, Parish and Town Councils would be encouraged to report any areas of concern, this will enable us to work collaboratively to clear the area.

8. The County Council will make a contribution payment towards the cost of the hours worked.  This is invoiced by the Parish and Town Council after each period of severe weather, identifying the dates and hours worked, without this information it would be impossible to process payment. Currently the level of contribution is £6.89 per hour worked, but this is subject to review. This payment is a contribution to the Parish and Town Councils, not the individual. Remuneration to snow wardens by the Parish and Town Councils is at their discretion. 

2024/25 Winter Season

Training sessions have been arranged for:

• Thursday 19^th September 2024 10am-12.30pm
• Tuesday 8^th October 2024 10am-12.30pm

Held at Leicestershire County Council

Croft Depot,

Arbor Rd,

Croft,

Leicestershire

LE9 3GE

This training is for new wardens or as a refresher course for existing wardens.  Equipment and induction booklet will be provided at the session.

If your parish council would like to book a place on this training or review further options for training, please contact etdspecialprojects@leics.gov.uk.