Grant’s New Year Greeting

Best wishes for 2010 to you all. This is not the start to the year that we were hoping for and I don’t need to tell you that the adverse weather is having a significant impact on all our lives. We will be working hard to try and ease things as much as we can.

I am heartened however by Fairfield’s community spirit, with neighbours helping out the elderly and housebound with shopping and making sure they are ok - a big thank you to all of you who have been helping out. I don’t need to remind you how important it is to keep an eye out for your more vulnerable neighbours, and perhaps offering to do a wee bit of shopping or top up their power cards. If you have no one to help you please contact the office and we will see what we can do.

The office will be open as usual with the normal opening times. If there is anything we can help with during the cold spell, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Roads and Pavements

Perth and Kinross Council are responsible for clearing the snow from all these areas in Fairfield and it is evident that like many areas in Perth this has not happened. We will be pressuring them to resolve this situation as soon as possible. Please be careful when you are walking or driving anywhere.

In the meantime where able, residents should try and clear paths at least at the front of their homes. Contact the office if no one is able to do this and we will see what we can do. We are also actively trying to source grit but supplies seem to be low. We will persevere however and try and get a supply for Fairfield’s use.

Frost Advice

With temperatures forecast to plummet even lower and no sign of the cold snap ending soon, there is a significant chance of pipes freezing. Simple steps will help reduce the risk of this:

• Please ensure your home is adequately heated.
• Dripping taps are a major cause of pipes freezing, please make sure all the taps in your home are shut properly, if there is a drip that will not go away, however small, put a basin under the drip to stop it leaking into the waste.
• Keep close doors and windows shut.
• Don’t panic if your pipes freeze, report it to the office immediately

Refuse Collection & Bulky Item Uplift

Again this has been severely disrupted with no and limited collections taking place. Again we are working with Perth & Kinross Council to resolve this. Please be responsible during this period ensuring rubbish is placed in strong black bags and only put out when necessary. Don’t pile the bins high with bags where possible. Be sensible about bulky item uplift, where possible don’t put items out until the weather conditions improve. If you really have to put things out, please place them in the garden at your home temporarily, never place bulky items in the wheelie bins.