BY now, many people will have benefited from the extra grit and salt spread on previously untreated roads and paths in County Durham. But just as importantly as the prevention of all those broken bones and bruised bums is to see a practical example of joined-up government.

There are many interfaces where local government and NHS services meet – and good, joined-up government is flexible government applied in imaginative ways.

So, congratulations to those who had the foresight to put the extra NHS £1.1m into additional county council highways salting of paths and roads. It has surely already paid dividends.

An estimated third of over-65s in County Durham and Darlington – about 31,000 people – will suffer a fall each year. Around one in every 200 admissions of older people in the area are due to hip fractures.

Injury caused by falling is a leading cause of death among people aged over 75.

To those who complain, remember you will soon have the opportunity to vote on whether you want a high and efficient level of public service provision or one that is low and poor. At the end of the day you only get what you pay for.

Councillor Rob Yorke, Labour, West Auckland and Witton Park Division, Durham County Council.

WE can’t afford to think that most British winters are going to be mild in the future. The number of people with injuries and fractures after slipping on the snow and ice are completely unacceptable.

In the severe winter of 1963 the official advice was for people to leave their cars at home and walk or use public transport, but in recent decades gritting aid priorities have moved from the pedestrian to the car user.

There should be boxes of salt and grit in every street that residents can use to prevent the pavements becoming unsafe to walk on.

Peter J Brown, Middlesbrough.

OLDFIELDS Restaurant, Durham, should be exceptionally proud of Sarah Hodgson who walked 15 miles from Delves Lane, near Consett, and got to work on time (Echo, Jan 6).

I know that I will not be alone in saying: “I would give her a job tomorrow.”

I am, however, blessed with an excellent staff at HMP Frankland.

At the time of writing on Wednesday, and despite the dreadful inclement conditions, my staff have not failed to attend for duty and operate a normal regime in the prison establishment, despite many of them living in rural and at times inaccessible housing estates.

Such dedication to duty often goes unspoken. It is, however, important that despite whatever one may think of our penal system, taxpayers can see that they get a decent return for their investment in this group of public employees.

Like Oldfields Restaurant owner Bill Oldfield, who is no doubt proud of Sarah Hodgson, I am proud my staff made that extra effort to get to work and do their duties in the most difficult circumstances.

David Thompson, Governor, HMP Frankland, near Durham.

ONE of the many side-effects of the recent wintry weather is that more than 8,000 schools have been closed. Indeed, many have not reopened from the Christmas holidays. This situation was not always the case.

In the very bad winter of 1947 my late mother-in-law was a teacher in the Peak District town of Buxton.

Due to the height of this market town the bad weather was both severe and prolonged.

As the snows set in the number of pupils attending soon fell back from the 150 on the register.

So much so that on the very worst day of the winter only one pupil made it to school and he or she lived next door to the school premises.

It would appear that the option of closing the school was not even considered.

Martin Birtle, Billingham.