The number of working days lost to stress and depression at East Cambridgeshire District Council was slashed in 2014 – according to new figures.

From January to October last year, staff took 79 days off through illness caused by stress, anxiety or depression, down markedly on 2013, when 269 days were lost.

The figure is also a substantial improvement on 2012 when 349 working days were lost to stress.

The council said the improvement was down to a set of policies put in place to deal with stress and to “manage attendance”.

Overall, staff took 1,225.5 days off last year due to illness. According to the council’s own figures, it had an average of 202 members of staff in 2014.

In 2012, more than 2,000 days were lost to overall illness.

A spokesman for the council said: “The district council has been working very hard to create an environment to help our staff to deliver for our residents.

“Our sickness levels are below the national levels within local government and the council has effective policies in place to manage attendance and stress within the workplace.

“However, we are not complacent we know there are areas where we can improve further but it is only right to acknowledge the positive changes we have achieved.”