I ARRIVED at the recycling plant at 9.35am this morning.

Having just turned off the small island, I was confronted within a matter of a few metres by a queue of cars and vans.

In the time before it opened promptly at 10am quite a few cars had left the line-up, however the queue did not get much smaller as the tail of the queue went back up round the corner into Porton Road and stopped traffic at the island.

When I entered, the staff in the depot were busy helping people with their loads to speed things up.

One big problem is the traffic entering this road to visit other businesses and Hills work yard where lorries come and go all the time. Certainly the drivers (with their loads) in the queue were not happy. Getting out was not easy.

I fail to see overall where this is a money gain or saving. The staff lose two days’ pay plus two hours a day. That is a big loss anyone would not be happy about.

Back in May, they were talking about redundancies that would have to be taken. The mood taken by some of the employees however were that some could not manage the loss and so resigned their posts. This in turn helped Hills reduce the staff costs, so in the end they did not have to bring about redundancies.

The savings gained by the county are exposed as £300,000 per year but the consequences they bring about in saving will come to prove to be much smaller I think!

This sum over 12 months, spread between Wiltshire ratepayers each month would be very small indeed, if we look at the costs of fly tipping which, as the Journal points out, is already on the increase. Many who now stand in a lengthy queue may consider getting rid of their waste elsewhere.

Somerset, I understand, actually sell some items back to the public. Perhaps this idea should be looked at for profit made. I think anyone visiting a recycling centre would see how amazing the amount of good condition items are thrown away, even antique furniture!

The accounting of this project together with the green bin collection, where now the green bin pick ups go along a road and only pick up less than they used to needs to be looked into.

The whole strategics taken by Wiltshire Council on both these policies are quite frankly a disgraceful and tragic policy for many and Jane Scott has a lot to answer for. As a business in the real world it would fail hopelessly. Hills and their staff do a great job and should be commended for having to be treated this way.

Next year perhaps they might come to their senses when making up their figures for rates, that they include recycling and green bins as one and include the paying of it in the total rates bill. One thing for sure the rubbish and the cost will not disappear as they have tried to make it look.

JOHN WIGGLESWORTH Salisbury