ON Thursday night I placed my grey bin out as I have done since moving into my house in Rawcliffe, York. My neighbours had done the same.

Come Friday evening my bin was still full. I thought the bin men may have missed me but, checking a few other bins, they were the same. Later that evening in the local I commented on this and was told it is now green bin day every two weeks.

What difference does that make? I asked, slightly bemused thinking this may be a feng shui sort of thing or to make the bin men see a bit of colour. Alas no.

It seems that someone thinks I have should have been doing some gardening recently.

Apparently from March I am to alternate bins, one for rubbish, one for garden waste.

Now I can understand this in summer when cutting grass etc but, as I look outside, I have a blanket of snow covering my garden and have no intention of cutting the grass till it gets warmer.

Meanwhile, my rubbish continues to grow. I now have to put this in my car and take it to the tip. This is what I pay the council for; so, since I am not getting a full service, I shall deduct a service fee from my council tax for removing my own waste.

If every reader did this when shoddy planning takes place, the bins will soon be collected properly.

Richard Shepherd,

Howard Drive,

Rawcliffe,

York.

Updated: 10:35 Friday, March 17, 2006