The main problems of snow clearance and recycling failures were caused by all the staff, including senior managers, at East Devon District Council taking their annual leave from the December 24, 2010, until the January 4, 2011.

This meant there were no managers or staff at Knowle to make decisions about the chaos that ensued in all East Devon towns after the snowfall during the latter part of 2010.

Let’s hope that, during 2011, the staff at EDDC are not all off at the same time.

John Mendham

(via email).