ANXIOUS moments at Fenland Hall as they contemplated the fallout from Christmas and New Year to see whether bins had been emptied on time.

But they needn’t have worried despite a rather heavy-handed reminder sent to all councils by communities minister Bob Neil.

Fenland’s refuse chief Richard Cassidy was quick to reassure council leader Alan Melton that all was well and “in short we are not experiencing the problems Mr Neil outlines”.

Mr Cassidy went on to remind Cllr Melton that despite the snow, refuse crews had been working hard to maintain services despite “significant problems with sub-zero temperatures.”

The normal January catch up was well planned “and this means there can be a short delay in emptying some bins but no more than two or three days and I am not aware that we have received any complaints”.

But for absolute confirmation councillors turned to the Daily Mail and the weekly state of the nation ‘audit’ by columnist Richard Littlejohn.

“Whilst I was dishing out a kicking to those councils who have failed disgracefully to collect the rubbish for the past month, I maybe should have mentioned some of those who have performed beyond the call of duty,” thundered the former Fenland apprentice journalist.

And among the top performers, he noted, was Fenland, which had continued to collect rubbish despite the adverse weather.

The council was included in a list of 12 “who put local authorities like Birmingham and Exeter to shame. To all of them and any I’ve left out take a bow”.