Given the weather conditions yesterday evening and the journeys that people have had in this morning we have decided to take different approach to keeping open today. It is expected to freeze tonight but not snow, however travel will still potentially be tricky. We will therefore be sending most staff home at 4pm and running a skeleton service on volunteers who have less tricky journeys.

What we could not have known yesterday was that the M1 and M25 would both have accidents and that traffic would be diverted into the District, which had a knock-on effect on the traffic and made travel even more dangerous. Some people did not get back until very late in the evening as a result of the combination of that and the weather, several people actually stayed overnight with friends or relatives.

More detail on services:

· We know of a power cut in Wheathampstead which is affecting sheltered housing and we have contingency and possible rest centre options ready in case they are needed.

· The refuse collection service is keeping to its schedule on roads that are accessible and then trying to eat into the backlog on those that are not. The key message for residents is that they should put the bin out on the normal day and leave it there until we have got to them. On that basis we should not have to make them wait too long.

· The market is continuing to be open with the stall holders helping get the latest falls out of the way.

· Leisure centres are open but we have had intermittent service on the Westminster Lodge pool because of difficulties with lifeguard cover, unsurprisingly Batchwood golf is not open.