No major issues expected over the weekend and hopefully closer to normality by Monday – accepting there will still be snow around.

Contact centres and service points have been functioning but at reduced staffing levels.

Two schools opened today: St Colm’s and Braemar. Education officers are co-ordinating with Roads & Landscape teams in an attempt to ensure school estates are open as far as possible on Monday.

Weather conditions remained challenging today on the roads with further frequent snow showers and strong winds leading to drifting. In Kincardine & Mearns, the B974 Cairn O Mount snowgates were closed. Primary routes are still being ploughed and gritted as necessary The A92 was open although there are snow drifts being continually cleared by ploughs and JCBs. The  A937 was closed at Marykirk although cars were going through the closure.

The roads treatment plan for tomorrow (Saturday) sees all primary routes and main footways being treated from 05:40. Secondary route treatment will recommence at 08:00 once primary routes are cleared.

Roads and footway treatment crews have had a hard few days in testing conditions and this will continue into the weekend.  Additional resources have been mobilised across Roads, Landscape and Waste Services for Saturday and Sunday working.

In terms of homelessness, any presentations are being housed in the first instance to prevent anyone being out in the cold.

Recycling centres have been very quiet since Wednesday, with only five open today due to staffing issues: Inverurie, Westhill, Banchory, Huntly and Ellon.

Many waste collection routes were affected over past few days with properties (especially rural) missed. Today (Friday) seems the worst day so far. No collections vehicles were sent out today from the Stonehaven depot due to the weather conditions and roads. The plan is to accept extra material at the next scheduled collections.