At 8.30AM on Monday 3rd April, I received an undated letter from Caradon District Council headed "Important News for all Residents of Caradon from the Public Services Unit", concerning refuse collection changes.

This missive went on to state that our collection day would be on Mondays (today) and must be put out ready for collection by 7.30am (an hour ago).

Already I am in trouble for not complying with the 7.30am deadline and I am thinking that in future I will put my refuse out on the Sunday evening. But on turning the page, under a list headed "The Good Bin Guide" one directive is, I quote - "To prevent unnecessary littering do not place your refuse sacks out overnight prior to collection." My immediate reaction now is, they can't be serious, then I remember that it was April Fools day a few days ago so it must be a Jolly Jape on someone's part, a bit of a wind up. Think about the retired and those who don't have to be at work until 9am etc., etc., all now have to get up at 7am to comply with this directive. But on reading it through again I come to the conclusion that this is an official communication that we, the ratepayers, are supposed to take as an example of Caradon District Council efficiently and caringly fulfiling their obligations.

Several years ago I attended a meeting of the South East Cornwall Tourism Association where a Caradon District councillor was answering questions and I asked him when C.D.C. was going to start segregating refuse and use wheelie bins.

This would allow the ratepayers to be able to leave refuse out overnight secure from animals and birds, the answer was that C.D.C. were carrying out trials in this vein. One wonders (a) how long these trials take and (b) as other councils have already been using this system for years why can't their experience be used as a basis for Caradon alleviating the need for trials, after all as there is such a thing as the Association of District Councils where cooperation between councils should save thousands maybe millions of pounds.

G STRUDWICK

Liskeard