ONCE again, Wiltshire Council (“Where Nobody Matters”) has ridden roughshod over the wishes of its customers.

We were promised a consultation on the collection of garden waste, but in reality the decision had already been made.

The council, in its own Have Your Say document, said: “If at least one in four Wiltshire households decided to pay for the service, this option [to charge for the service] is likely to deliver the highest level of savings of the three options.”

My understanding is that only about 16-18 per cent voted for this option.

Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to see the results of the consultation, and I suspect the council is reluctant to publish them.

This is not one in four.

If people are not convinced by the council’s mathematical illiteracy, how about this?

The savings to enable the council to keep council tax the same are to cover a reduction in government funding, which is set to fall from £119m to £103.8m.

That is a drop of £15.2m, yet the council wants to make reductions of £30m.

Where is the other £14.8m going?

It does seem that no change to garden waste collection is needed because the cost is already covered.

Also, in the same document it said the proposed charge, if adopted, would be £35pa.

All of a sudden, it has become £40pa. We were deliberately misled. This council is organised on cabinet lines, meaning decisions are taken by a select few, and presented to full council for rubber stamping.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all the councillors we voted for were given the same chance to contribute to decisions, instead of being presented with a fait accompli by the inner sanctum?

I have been a lifelong Conservative, but I will not support this bunch in the next council elections unless they become more democratic, and listen to voters, especially those outside the Trowbridge area; I urge all voters to give them a bloody nose.

Barry Walker Salisbury n “I’m a Conservative and I keep my promises”, said leader of Wiltshire Council Jane Scott at the recent budget meeting that saw a further £30m cut from the council’s budget. As she pledged to axe vital services rather than put up council tax a few pence a week.

We now learn of plans to close public toilets and cut street cleaning back to the bone.

Of course they say we would urge local town and parish councils to take over the running of public toilets.

So much for the pledge not to increase council tax in Wiltshire, but the Conservatives are more than happy for town and parish council to increase council tax to pay for services that they should be providing.

Terry Chivers

Independent, Melksham

DURING this past week many residents in Salisbury have not had their refuse sacks collected.

Each bag was affixed with a label stating that Wiltshire Council would not be collecting ‘additional’ sacks left next to wheelie bins.

Why not?

Surely there are a number of householders who don’t fully utilise their wheelie bin space – I am sure the odd additional black sack would only be cancelled out by some householders with half filled bins? Isn’t it a somewhat churlish attitude to take?

Furthermore, in adopting its new policy, Wiltshire Council failed to instruct its bin men as to the those properties that are unsuitable for a wheelie bin – meaning that my busy next door neighbours (with a young family) arrived home to the indignity that none of their household waste had been collected.

Does this sort of stance not encourage fly-tipping?

Have you driven along the A36 lately?

Once you get onto the dual carriageway south of Salisbury you cannot drive more than a few feet without seeing litter. Discarded fast food containers, drinks cans, all manner of plastic and general detritus littering the hedgerows and festooning the trees.

When I telephoned Wiltshire Council (where everybody matters) recently, I was told that it was the job of the Highways’ Agency to keep the roads tidy. However, a further telephone call to them revealed that actually it’s not, and the HA were very helpful in giving me Wiltshire council’s direct telephone number so that I could report the problem.

So far, aside from ‘littering’ my email inbox with messages about whom my request has been sent to – I have seen no action.

In view of their stance on householders’ general waste, I won’t hold my breath.

Until Wiltshire Council is prepared to do something constructive about waste and litter generally, perhaps it should change its logo to Wiltshire Council – Everybody’s matter!

Paula Elliott

Salisbury

I REFER to Julian Johnson’s letter last week (Community spirit at its best), regarding litter in the countryside.

Those who are responsible for roadside maintenance – cutting back of branches and trimming hedges – should perhaps consider it as a two-part operation.

Having accomplished part one, as above, revealing the appalling amount of litter previously concealed in the undergrowth, part two should be the removal of it.

The A36 south of Salisbury is a prime example of the need for part two.

Shelagh Langlands

Redlynch