Tip charges a rubbish joke

WHILE recycling was introduced free of charge, slowly but surely local authorities have applied charges to the point where they are now a disincentive to do the “right” thing.

The obvious consequences with regard to fly-tipping aside, it appears that these LAs can make up rules and definitions as they wish with no regard to public interest, fairness or common sense.

I recently queried why taking a few small panes of glass from a cold frame to the tip warranted a substantial charge, when a larger fish tank did not. The reply was as follows:

“Glass from a coldframe is generally considered as a significant structure and therefore classified as nonhousehold waste because it is a material generated by construction and demolition activities associated with a property. A fish tank is considered household waste and non-chargeable as it is a constituent of the contents of a house which could, for example be transported with the householder when moving house.”

My cold-frame came from my previous home and needed no more than a screwdriver to dismantle it – no wrecking-ball or explosives.

Clearly someone is having a laugh at our expense, but more seriously how do we stop these civil servants exploiting us to such an absurd degree? They seem to be a law unto themselves and can do whatever they wish with complete impunity. Any suggestion that there is genuine accountability in the public sector is complete rubbish.

D Alfred