Hounslow Council will be dreaming a no-snow Christmas after cutting snow clearing funds by nearly a quarter.

The council's budget for the 2014-15 financial year shows that they have set £215,000 aside to spend on winter services such as gritting and snow clearance. This is a 23 per cent deduction on the £280,000 that was set aside for last Christmas - one of the 15 biggest cuts to winter service provision in for any council in England.

Residents will be hoping that last year's unusually warm winter hasn't lulled their councillors into a false sense of security when it comes to planning for cold weather disruption. Across West London the budget for winter provision has actually increased collectively.

Brent council are being especially careful this year, putting aside an extra 65 per cent on the £333,000 that they had to spend on winter provision last year.

Harrow has also increased their winter service budget significantly this year. It is by a third from £302,000 in 2013-14 to £402,000 in 2014-15. Across the whole of England there has actually been a slight increase in the amount of money that council's have to combat bad winter weather.

Last Christmas councils had a combined £150.4 million to spend on winter provision but this year there is £154.3 million available. This works out at around £2.87 per person.

Winter provision spending across West London's councils is as follows:

  • Hounslow / winter budget 2013-14 = £280,000 / budget 2014-15 = £215,000
  • Hammersmith and Fulham / budget 2013-14 = £64,000 / 2014-15 = £60,000
  • Hillingdon / 2013-14 budget = £149,000 / 2014-15 budget = £149,000
  • Kensington and Chelsea / 2013-14 budget = £115,000 / 2014-15 budget = £115,000
  • Ealing / 2013-14 budget = £498,000 / 2014-15 budget = £522,000
  • Westminster / 2013-14 budget = £232,000 / 2013-14 budget = £251,000
  • Harrow / 2013-14 budget = £302,000 / 2014-15 budget = £402,000
  • Brent / 2013-14 budget = £333,000 / 2014-15 budget = £549,000