Why do I have to pay Wealden District Council for my brown bin?

Mr Councillor Galley, gave the pathetically lame reason of “we can no longer expect council tax payments to subsidise fully the service, particularly when not all residents use the service”. Well, Councillor, there are many services I do not use but no account of that is taken when my council tax bill drops through the letterbox, yet I am expected to cough up an ever increasing amount. Councillor Galley also says he ‘firmly believes that a cost of around £1 a week represents good value’. I do not!

I have a half-sized bin - I compost a lot of my garden waste – and put my brown bin out a maximum of ten times a year.

This, according to Councillor Galley’s argument, means I am subsidising heavier users.

I could also say that, by the same argument, I am subsidising council tax payers who live in band A,B,C and D properties but that would be equally churlish.

Perhaps, if councillors’ attendance allowances and fat cat council executive salaries were reduced, Wealden might have a bit more money to spend on services, mandatory or otherwise.

For example, when I served on West Norfolk District Council, with councillors made up of professionals, white collar, blue collar and retirees, we collectively agreed we would only claim 50 per cent of the allowance entitlement as we considered it an honour to be elected to serve our fellow citizens.

Why not do the same here?

Richard J Sharp,

Shepham Lane,

Polegate