I WAS shocked and disappointed that East Cambs District Council should do an about-turn on the proposed alternative weekly waste collection. I attended a Neighbourhood Panel meeting in Soham where, amongst other things, there was a presentation on this s

I WAS shocked and disappointed that East Cambs District Council should do an about-turn on the proposed alternative weekly waste collection.

I attended a Neighbourhood Panel meeting in Soham where, amongst other things, there was a presentation on this scheme.

This was put forward by a Conservative councillor and a Liberal Democrat, who both said that this had to be done to reduce the amount of waste going into landfill sites.

It was explained to us at the meeting that kitchen waste could still be collected each week, one week in the black bag and the next wrapped in the brown sack.

The decision was made after the recent election and because, as they said, this is what the people wanted.

The introduction of the alternative weekly collection was not simply to save money or make things awkward for people, but to face up to the grim reality that we cannot go on at the present rate with landfill.

Councillors are elected to office to represent the people but they also have a responsibility to make the right decisions in the people's interest even if it appears unpopular.

Councillors need to take their heads out of the sand and face up to the critical problem of landfill which has been talked about for years and nothing has been done until now, and now that a possible answer is put in place the councillors have pandered to the whims of the people.

Of course, the people want their rubbish collected weekly, who wouldn't? But we all have a part to play in facing up to this crisis because this is what it is

The council says the weekly collection is cost effective but does not tell us what they are going to do to reduce the amount going into landfill.

In fact, they are sending out the wrong message that there is no problem. They said, very weakly, that they hoped people would still continue to recycle. That is simply not good enough - they should be leading the way and setting the example.

Instead of that they have caved in to the people's opinion - people who are either unaware of the waste problem or could not care less about it.

I am glad that South Cambs has bitten the bullet and has made a big increase in recycling as a result.

East Cambs was improving but the best we have done is about 29 per cent but we should be reaching out for 50-60 per cent.

I just hope and pray no other council will take this backward step as a result of East Cambs' move.

This is a wrong decision and I would like the council to explain how and when they are going to stand up and deal with this landfill crisis.

GEORGE GINN

King's Parade

Soham