DEAR EDITOR -- In response to the fears of your reader 'Alarmed of Bromsgrove' I would like to assure him (or her) that councillors are aware that the change in bin collection practice could increase crime.

It is an established fact that experience in other areas where wheelie bins have been introduced shows that would-be burglars are on the look out for bins that remain outside the properties after collection times. This is an indication to them that the householder may not be at home.

One of the answers is apparently not to put the house number on a visible part of the bin.

This concern and the lack of information generally available to the public is one of the reasons why I have urged the health and leisure scrutiny committee to establish two working groups to investigate and monitor the implementation of the new refuse collection and recycling service, which I am told will be introduced in 2004.

Unfortunately, despite waiting for more than two months, the scrutiny process has not even started and residents will soon be receiving a questionnaire asking them what help they will require to handle the plethora of bins and boxes that each household will be given.

At the present time I am "Alarmed of Wythall"!

Cllr Stephen Peters

Hollywood & Majors Green Ward

Bromsgrove District Council