IT was interesting to read the report in last week's Shuttle/Times and News that Nuneaton and Bedworth voters had forced their council to abandon a fortnightly refuse collection scheme and revert to a weekly one.

The voters complained that the fortnightly recycling-friendly scheme caused smells and health risks from the festering rubbish!

No mention was made in the farcical "public consultation" earlier this year of how Wyre Forest District Council plans to deal with the health risks or eliminate the smells and maggot infestations that are bound to occur.

Instead the survey asked questions slanted to favour a particular response. So, if respondents are given a range of Council Tax increases to choose from, what does the district council expect them to select other than the least expensive option?

The stuff most likely to smell and be a health hazard is the non-recyclable waste, so why was the option to collect this weekly and recyclable waste fortnightly not included in the survey?

Also, why was it not made clear in the survey that respondents on housing benefits would not have to bear the increase out of their own pockets and that, in any case, the difference between a weekly and fortnightly collection of recyclable waste was only 25p per week?

The district council should be ashamed of themselves for imposing a refuse collection regime more reminiscent of the Victorian era on residents. They are trying to pass the buck for recycling and waste disposal on to householders but they should concentrate their efforts on the producers and large retailers who are the root cause of the problem.

In days gone by, most bottles were returnable, food and other goods were not sold in plastic containers and many houses had coal fires on which much rubbish was burnt.

Finally, Mr Hutton (Letters, August 21) is correct in stating that the district council should get their house in order and do something about the appalling state of the streets. Unfortunately, it is not just the packaging from the previous night's supper that litters the streets, but often the regurgitated supper itself that normally remains for passers-by to step on until washed away by the rain.

D & M JONES

Granville Crest, Kidderminster