THE people that kept North Yorkshire on the move and the vulnerable get the care they needed during last week's severe snowfall have been praised for their "grit and resolve".

The county council's highways teams and adults’ and children’s social care teams pulled out all the stops, said the authority's leader, Cllr Carl Les.

However it is expected that the weather will have caused damage to the road network that the county council will now have to respond to.

Since February 26 until right through the weekend, the county's fleet of 86 gritters ran 24 hours a day to keep major routes open.

They had support from 111 farming contractors, who not only supported the operation on major roads, but helped clear minor roads in more remote areas, particularly when high winds led to drifting snow.

"Their support enabled services and deliveries, including oil, milk and cattle feed, to get through," said Cllr Les.

Adult and children’s social care teams went the extra mile to ensure that care reached those who needed it.

Members of staff dug their vehicles out of the snow and commandeered 4x4s to ensure they reached people in remote communities and put in extra shifts to make sure support was available.

Cllr Les said: “This was an excellent example of co-operation all round with voluntary organisations, district councils and the emergency services.

"I am very pleased that the county council continued to deliver its services, not only in keeping the roads as clear as possible, but also in looking after vulnerable adults and children.

“The weather did mean that, quite rightly, many of our schools had to close at some point for safety reasons.

"We are grateful for the efforts of head teachers who worked tirelessly to keep children safe and parents informed.

“Of course, it’s not just about public services. It’s about everyone playing their part, and I’m not surprised that so many people in North Yorkshire did just that.

"We are very grateful to all those who looked out for their neighbours and to motorists for heeding the advice to travel only if necessary."

The authority is already planning its spring road repairs to tackle the ravages of winter. The 2018 schedule includes hundreds of roads that will be patched and dressed and others that will be completely resurfaced.

Highways defects can be reported at northyorks.gov.uk/report-online.