I write in response to comments made by councillor Tim Young (Letters, January 4).

He said: “There is not one day when some refuse and recycling has not been collected.”

I’m afraid this statement is not entirely correct.

On December 29, my neighbours and I had put our bags out for collection as we knew the refuse collectors were in our area.

They took some bags of refuse and recycling, but left some bags behind. I phoned street services later that morning and was told it would be looked into.

I did not see a refuse collector again until January 5, so obviously it was lying there for a week.

Another point I would like to raise with Mr Young is why people who live in flats need to put their refuse outside when we have bin stores for the purpose of storing refuse (in bags of course). I can’t remember the last time the refuse collectors went into the communal areas to empty the bin stores.

I look forward to Mr Young’s reply.

Debby Taylor
Gardenia Walk
Greenstead

...While rubbish strewn around certain parts of our estate resulting from the non-collection on Christmas Eve was very distressing, it is to the great credit of the council and its waste collectors that pieces of discarded rubbish had been picked up before New Year’s Eve.

At a time of negative publicity, this prompt redress of an earlier problem was much appreciated.

J Morley
Abbeyfield View
Colchester