On reading an article concerning the woman not allowed to dispose of her household rubbish at her local recycling centre, I felt I had to write to express my disbelief at the policy.

I drive a Vauxhall Vivaro van which is my only means of transport and it suits my lifestyle and is my choice.

I am also a council tax payer.

I do not run any sort of business and do not produce any sort of trade waste.

Why should I be denied the right to dispose of any household waste to my local recycling centre because of the vehicle I drive?

This is certainly a discriminatory policy and I wonder if it would stand up to any serious scrutiny.

With this confused and unfair policy it is no surprise we have seen the explosion of fly tipping.

This blight affects us in all sorts of ways.

It costs the council tax payer money to clear up, money which can be better spent on things such as social care and it spoils the enjoyment of the countryside for all.

I would like to see some sort of permit system in place to enable us to register vehicle details and some sort of declaration that the waste is household and not trade waste.

I would be happy to sign up to such system.

It would be nice to think Essex County Council is intelligent enough to realise there is a problem and to work with people to try and solve this issue rather than dictating to people and discriminating against them for the vehicle they drive.

Richard White Dovercourt

  • Silly rules will cause more harm

Yet again more silly rules and regulations by Essex County Council over what vehicles are allowed into the local recycling centres.

Surely it’s time we got a grip of where our council tax money really does go and what are county councillors do to earn their place at County Hall.

Yet more cuts, bills going up and, worst of all, yet more fly tipping because of these restrictions.

Having driven down the A120 on bank holiday Monday I counted 11 different instances of fly tipping.

It proves that turning people away is already causing problems and it will only get worse.

As for going to a bigger tip to dispose of items, it is going to cost more for the residents and the queues are going to be unmanageable.

All I can see is we will be blighted with unwanted rubbish and paying for services we no longer get.

The helpful staff at the recycling centres are being abused for enforcing management’s stupid rules.

Those that sit on the council get money for doing nothing. 

Come on, let’s see these rules changed back to how they use to be and tidy up the wonderful Essex countryside.

Dave Smy Waldegrave Way, Lawford

  • Surgery is top notch in our book

I WAS dismayed to read the article of criticism of the Ambrose Surgery. We have been patients there since 1956 and we always found the staff most helpful. In an emergency it is not always possible to see one’s chosen doctor – they need days off and holidays and often their clinics are already full of pre-booked appointments.

Every month the numbers of missed appointments is displayed. It horrifies me and shows how unappreciated our hard working doctors are.

Marie Holt Elianore Road, Colchester

  • Let’s have a meeting to talk about Sir Bob

It is most regrettable the High Steward should choose to go against tradition, now to stand at the election.

While it true traditions are made to be broken, it is also true that the High Steward, apart from acting as a badge-less tourist guide, has no real function or purpose.

I therefore urge the now many Free Burghers to do their duty and to convene a most urgent meeting, to draw up a role for the High Steward and more importantly, to design a suitable robe or insignia to wear at civic functions.

H.L the Bishop of Colchester should chair this meeting so as to provide the necessary spiritual guidance and ecclesiastical approval.

If all this were in place, a still active senior citizen would not feel the need to attempt to bask in the accolades of what is now past.

FF Casale The Avenue, Colchester

  • Great memories of U's Legends

Mel Mildenhall and Ray Hollingsworth were two of the readers who voted for the Gazette’s U’s Legends XI.

Here are letters they sent in along with their teams.

We will reveal the “best ever” team in a 20-page supplement in tomorrow’s Gazette.

I HAD the privilege of playing for Colchester United in 1962/63 and 63/64, albeit only in the reserves.

I had about 40 appearances in the Football Combination.

I have included in my team, mates of that time, Percy Ames, Bobby Hunt, Peter Wright and Duncan Forbes.

In practice matches. Duncan marked me and I endorse what was said in the Gazette that every match was taken seriously. I still have the bruises!

Although Billy Fenton was an excellent manager to play for, what Phil Parkinson achieves just gives him the nod.

Mel Mildenhall Skitts Hill, Braintree

IT was Mike Walker over Percy Ames for me.

Walker got it for the two greatest saves I ever saw from a U’s keeper.

The first was at the Dell in a League Cup replay against Southampton (we won 1-0 after extra time) and Mick Channon hit a curling 25-yard free-kick toward the top corner that Walker somehow pushed over the top.

I can still see Channon’s reaction of utter disbelief.

The other great save was in the Leeds FA Cup tie from 1971.

It was Tend Fenton or Duncan Forbes for my second centre back position - so more than happy to include Duncan.

Brian Hall and I lived in Margaret Road, Colchester and we trained together in the summer months when Brian was playing for Chelmsford City.

I chose Bobby Hunt because he is a dear friend, Peter Wright was a great help when I made the Layer Road film and I also got to know Vic Keeble.

Bobby Svarc appeared in my film (Duncan, Peter, Bobby Hunt and Vic also).

Svarc was a master of playing off a ball-winning centre forward - John Froggat at the time - but no-one could win as many aerial battles as Vic Keeble - not in his day or after.

Great memories.

Ray McSweeney Durham Square, Colchester