IN recent weeks, the debate around Vale Royal Borough Council's kerbside recycling scheme seems to have gone quiet.

Like everybody else, I think my view is we are just stuck with it as it is - our voice will not be heard.

This scheme was put into operation without consultation so we are powerless to change it. But I am incensed by the continued problems it causes.

I have frequent extra trips to the tip myself and I am sure I will not be given a discount on my Council Tax bill at the end of the year.

In principle, I strongly agree with recycling and would like to see more - such as plastics being recycled. But my passion for recycling is smeared by our scheme being such a disorganised mess!

We have three adults and four children - -one of them a baby - living in our house. My husband and I both work and pay our Council Tax bills.

Granted, we have been given a second green bin to assist, which I would have liked when collections were weekly as one was not enough.

However, last week was green bin collection, both of them were full and the lids would not close. I came home to four bags on the roadside next to my empty bins.

The bin men did not take what was sitting on the top of the bin preventing it from shutting. They were overflowing as it had been two weeks since they were emptied of course.

So I start that next two-week cycle with one bin full of four bags already.

Today is green box and brown bin collection and my green bins are overflowing and have a week to go. We haven't even had a Christmas yet, when obviously more rubbish is generated. I'm dreading it.

Until we recycle more of our rubbish, the council cannot expect that one small green box, a paper bag and brown bin constitute half of our rubbish. They must reinstate green bin rubbish collection on a weekly basis and see sense.

That way recycling can complement this collection on a fortnightly basis.

I am sure everyone would be more enthused to recycle if the service was operated in this way. The process needs to be gradual, and more recycling ideas put into place to reduce what actually goes into our green wheelie bin. Then we might reach the point where fortnightly collection is sufficient.

So how can we ensure that we, the customers, who pay our bills, have an input into what we are paying for? Any ideas?

GREEN WHEELIE BIN FAN

Winsford