Sir – According to the city website “Oxford City Council staff have been working to ensure that Oxford is kept clear of snow and ice . . . Oxford City Council officers have been ensuring that residents have been able to get to work, get to school, get supplies or get assistance with prescriptions and medical care.” I fear these are what are now known as aspirational statements.

Undoubtedly individuals have worked very hard and deserve our thanks. The question we have to face is should we be better prepared? Traditionally we’ve said that heavy snow does not happen often enough to warrant significant spend on equipment and facilities. Does climate change mean that it is going to happen more frequently?

The other issue is the cost of disruption. As we have more elderly people, more just in time delivery and shopping, more commuting, a more mobile society, is the cost of disruption to our health service, other services, businesses rising?

I would hope that all councils and Government would examine these issues. Are there low-cost ways of improving our ability to cope? I would also hope that the Government would make it clear in law that if volunteers try to clear snow, or help in any way they would only run the risk of being sued if they were grossly negligent and others suffered as a result. That would open the way to volunteers and councils working together.

Vernon Porter, Oxford