Councils have stockpiled 1.5 million tonnes of salt for gritting the roads this winter and pledged to make sure vulnerable people are protected in the cold weather.
The Local Government Association’s (LGA) annual Winter Readiness Survey spells out how councils have prepared for frozen temperatures and flooding.
It follows figures from the ONS last week revealing an estimated 34,300 people died last winter because of cold weather.
The LGA report says 92% of councils have either more salt in stock for this year or the same level as they did last year.
More than half will share salt stocks, 28% will share gritting machinery, and one in six plan to team up across their boundaries to dispatch staff to key locations.
Council leaders say local teams will assist the elderly and vulnerable in their communities by delivering hot meals, carrying out emergency household repairs and providing heating.
Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA’s transport spokesman, said: 'Winter is fast approaching and temperatures are already starting to drop – but councils are prepared yet again.
'Planning for winter remains a key priority for councils, despite ongoing funding pressures and competing demands on their limited resources.'
