THE heaviest snowfall in 20 years is causing chaos across the borough. Forty-eight of Westminster s 50 schools are closed today – with only St George's School in Hanover Square and St Mary s Bryanston Square CE School braving the conditions. Council boss

THE heaviest snowfall in 20 years is causing chaos across the borough.

Forty-eight of Westminster's 50 schools are closed today - with only St George's School in Hanover Square and St Mary's Bryanston Square CE School braving the conditions.

Council bosses are advising parents to keep their children at home tomorrow unless the weather improves.

Parking wardens will be staying indoors today with all parking enforcement suspended. Residents who have left vehicles on double yellow lines overnight are being reassured they do not need to move them today.

Transport chiefs will review the decision this evening before deciding what action to take tomorrow.

The council has deployed 120 staff, seven gritting machines and 300 tonnes of salt to help keep central London moving.

More than 100 staff began gritting main roads at 10am on Sunday, and worked overnight as conditions worsened. Currently the council has one machine to every square mile of the borough and will continue to work today and through the night.

Other services affected by the extreme weather are waste collection, adult services and libraries.

There will be no waste, recycling or special collections today. A recovery plan to catch up on collections will be implemented later this week when the weather has improved.

All adult day centres have been closed but meals on wheels will be delivered across Westminster. Three of Westminster's libraries are closed - Victoria, Mayfair and Charing Cross. The other 11 are open but may close early at 5pm.

The council is also encouraging rough sleepers to visit one of the boroughs day and night centres. Council street-staff are on the look out for the homeless and will alert them of emergency temporary accommodation that can be provided by the council.