In winter, we prioritise salting Devon’s major routes, which carry the highest volumes of traffic. This means some smaller communities may not always receive support as quickly as they would like. The Snow Warden Scheme helps communities prepare for and respond to severe winter weather by providing advice, online training, and salt to local councils and community organisations who support their area on a voluntary basis.
Snow Wardens act as the key point of contact between Devon County Council and their community. The role focuses on coordination, supported locally by the council or community organisation and the Neighbourhood Highway Officer.
The role of the Snow Warden
Snow Wardens work on behalf of their local council or community organisation, not Devon County Council. They help deliver locally agreed winter maintenance support, which may include:
- Ordering grit and salt supplies
- Keeping a register of trained volunteers
- Receiving and responding to local weather alerts
- Organising volunteers to clear snow
- Organising volunteers to spread grit when icy weather is forecast
- Encouraging responsible and appropriate use of salt
Requirements for Snow Wardens
Snow Wardens must:
- Be nominated by a town or parish council or similar community body
- Complete the required training. Please contact communityselfhelp@devon.gov.uk to register to be given access to the online training.
- Work within Devon County Council guidance and within the local winter plan agreed with us
- Be formally registered with Devon County Council. You can register or update your details via our online form.
The role of Snow Warden volunteers
If you want to help but are unable to commit to becoming a registered Snow Warden, you can support your community as a volunteer. Volunteers may:
- Spread grit
- Clear snow
- Refill grit bins and bags
- Report issues with grit bins and bags online
Salt provision
We support local councils and community organisations with salt supplies to help them keep priority areas moving.
We provide
- Up to five tonnes of salt free of charge, usually delivered in one‑tonne dumpy bags to one agreed location before winter, along with a small number of bagged salt supplies.
- Salt quantities for town councils are agreed separately and depend on the services they plan to deliver (for example, clearing busy High Streets).
- Up to a further five tonnes can be supplied at the same time at £100 per tonne.
- A route for purchasing additional salt through our contracted suppliers.
You can request salt using our online form
Using and storing salt
Tow‑along gritters can use significant quantities of salt, so organisations must consider the cost, storage space, and ongoing demand before purchasing additional supplies.
Salt may harden if it becomes damp. If this happens, empty the salt, spread it out, break it up, and allow it to dry naturally in the sun before re‑bagging.
Insurance
Devon County Council provides Public Liability Insurance for voluntary work completed under the approved Snow Warden Scheme, provided it is carried out safely and in accordance with our guidance. This covers third‑party claims arising from authorised Snow Warden activities.
We do not provide any other insurance cover. This means:
- Volunteers are responsible for their own personal safety and property.
- Damage to personal equipment or vehicles is not covered.
- Anyone using their own vehicle (for example, farmers) must ensure their insurer covers Snow Warden activities.
- If a local council or community organisation employs a contractor, our Public Liability cover does not apply to that work.
We encourage all councils and community organisations involved in self‑help services to check their insurance arrangements with their provider.
What Devon County Council will provide
As part of the Snow Warden Scheme, we will:
- Deliver a comprehensive winter service as described in the Winter Service and Emergencies Plan.
- Refill county‑owned grit bins when notified that they are empty.
- Provide up to five tonnes of free salt before winter, plus a small supply of bagged salt.
- Offer an additional five tonnes at £100 per tonne if required at the same time.
- Provide a mechanism for purchasing further salt throughout the season.
- Train Snow Wardens and provide ongoing advice and guidance.
- Provide Public Liability Insurance for approved Snow Warden activities.
How to get involved
Local councils and community organisations who would like to join the Snow Warden Scheme should contact us at communityselfhelp@devon.gov.uk