Northumberland Storm Arwen families to quiz Northern Powergrid

This four-year-old boy played with his toys by candlelight after the storm left his home in Catcleugh, Northumberland, without electricity

Families left without power by Storm Arwen have been promised the chance to grill utility bosses.

When the severe winds hit the North East in November, thousands of homes were left without electricity for days.

As Northumberland County Council prepares to hold an inquiry, residents have been told they will also be able to ask questions about the response.

Council leader Glen Sanderson said he hoped residents were never again "let down as they were this time".

Army personnel handed out parcels including hats, blankets, gloves and thermal socks

Mr Sanderson said: "The most important part for me is to ensure that local people, local residents, who have suffered so much, have the opportunity to place their questions and make their statements,

"[They should] have some assurance from Northern Powergrid and others that should such a storm happen again, there will not be the lack of communications that we've seen.

"They will want to ask why aren't there 10,000 generators sitting in a warehouse somewhere to allow quick and easy changeover to that sort of power in this sort of thing again.

"It's up to the residents to have their chance to be able to speak and to be heard and to make sure that if this ever happens again they are not let down as they were this time."

Glen Sanderson said it was important power companies offered assurances to residents

A review into November's events is being carried out by the council's scrutiny committee.

Details are still being drawn up but it is expected families affected by the storm will be invited to send their experiences and questions for the power companies to the local authority, which will collate and put them to the firms.

Speaking at the first full meeting of the county council of 2022, Mr Sanderson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service a timetable had already been prepared for evidence-gathering sessions.

Engineers had to repair power and telephone lines following the storm

Northern Powergrid was among the organisations which faced criticism for its role in the aftermath of Storm Arwen.

It was attacked for poor communication, which left families unsure of when their electricity supply would be reconnected or what compensation they would be able to claim.

The army was eventually drafted into Northumberland and County Durham out of concern for vulnerable households.

A motion to the county council on Storm Arwen was also approved, calling for all organisations involved in the response to "ensure lessons are learnt".