Not helpful

A new directive from the council states that rubbish will now only be collected every two weeks. Any black bags that don't fit into the bin will be left.

The mountain of rubbish that collected in our garden which week after week the bin men refused to take away, attracted a rat and maggots. When my tearful daughter asked what could be done with the rubbish if it wasn't to be taken away, the binman helpfully suggested that she load the lot into her little car, rat and maggots included, and take it to the tip.

My son offered to put the bags on the truck himself but this solution to the problem was rejected. We recycle everything possible; papers, plastic bottles, glass etc but still cannot keep our rubbish down to within the confines of the new allowance and it seems to me that this plan has been very badly thought out.

For example, on alternate weeks our garden waste is collected but this last week only four out of ten houses were able to produce enough clippings to warrant putting out the green bins.

I recently returned from America where the refuse collectors in Boston had been on strike for eight days. Already there was great concern over the health issues involved.

Here we're leaving rubbish uncollected for 14 days. I travel quite a bit with my work and I can see that one of the signs of a country that is compromising the health of its citizens, is piled up, uncollected rubbish. Welcome to third world Bedale!

JACKIE HARRISON

Badger Hill Drive,

Aiskew.

The real world

Sir, - I refer to the letter from C Beadle concerning North Yorkshire Police (D&S, Oct 24).

It begs the question, as the letter does not make it clear, did the writer actually report this alleged damage? Similarly one CCTV operator has responsibility for numerous cameras covering Northallerton, Stokesley and Thirsk, it would be unreasonable and wholly unrealistic to expect every event to be monitored, indeed it may be that the scene of this incident was not within camera range.

CCTV is a tool in the fight against crime and disorder not a panacea for all of society's ills. The author appears to be harking back to a golden era of Dixon of Dock Green policing with bobbies on every street corner. Unfortunately society and the world we live in has changed dramatically from those halcyon days.

Beat patrol does involve contact with the community, but also reacting to incidents which often lead to arrests and the subsequent paperwork, which can take officers off the streets for hours on end.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, has recognised this inefficient use of scarce resources and introduced measures to address the problem.

Officers in North Yorkshire are committed to working with the community they serve but to be effective, need timely and concise information from the public.

The majority of instances of good liaison between public and police go unreported, as they are the norm rather than the exception.

JONATHAN LANDERS

Broomfield Avenue,

Northallerton.

No confidence

Sir, - Your Ripon correspondent (D&S, Oct 17) is not alone in experiencing a lack of efficiency at local police stations.

Cleveland police have no interest in connecting a caller to the correct officer and in the end one gives up. I sent an e-mail weeks ago to a sergeant meant to be dealing with a local problem. This has not yet been answered. Over a week ago I wrote to John Tough apparently in command of Stockton police. As yet, no acknowledgement.

Altogether there is little to give confidence in our local, for the most part invisible, police force.

DIANA RILEY

Coxwold Road,

Stockton-on-Tees.

A keen eye

Sir, - I wholeheartedly agree with your correspondents re the filling station at Eaglescliffe (D&S, Oct 24).

In 2001 plans were submitted to Hambleton District Council to develop a brown field site on Tanton Road, Seamer for four bungalows and we, as residents, were asked for our views and agreed that bungalows would be in keeping with the surrounding properties and would enhance the area.

In the two years since, the site has gone to Wimpeys, who wanted to increase the number from four bungalows to a mixture of houses and bungalows, they then backed out.

A company from Newcastle who specialised in brown-field sites took it over, but after 18 months of inspections and deliberations they also backed out and now a local firm have started to develop the site with a mixture of bungalows and houses with roof heights that are completely out of character with the village.

At no time has the planning department of Hambleton District Council consulted us on what was to be erected. The pitch of the roofs of the houses I understand are 40 degrees which is very steep, when the majority of the surrounding roofs are much lower.

Of course the attitude of the planners is - it will be all right as long it's not m my back yard and we don't have to look at it. The only thing that is missing now, is a clock tower.

So I say to the residents of Eaglescliffe to keep a very keen eye on the plans and planning department of your local authority and do not fall into a false sense of security like we did.

G DAVIES

Tanton Close,

Seamer.

Problem street

Sir, - I refer to the letter in the D&S (Oct 17) concerning the condition of Northallerton High Street and shop frontages.

I do not get about very easily so my shopping days are few and far between. I cannot get into Boots at all these days, the aisles are so narrow.

I have a trolley for help, but it is impossible to get up and down even for walking customers.

There are very few parts of the High Street which are flat enough for people like me to get across the road in safety and yes I do use the crossings. To get in to shops is very difficult, a few more ramps would not go amiss.

Twenty-five years ago my husband was confined to a wheelchair. I used to have to walk miles to get over the road, and to push a wheelchair over lumps and bumps is not very good for bad backs.

Also in the same edition there was mention of putting a taxi rank on both sides of the High Street. Will the price of taxis increase? I need a taxi to get anywhere for myself and my trolley.

It costs me nearly five pounds to get to the High Street and back, before I even start my business.

Who if anyone controls the taxi firms. Do any of the taxi men get out of their cars to help? Don't get me wrong, some of them are perfect gentlemen, but some of them need to go to charm school.

The streets are filthy and dogs still foul the streets. Northallerton used to be a clean and tidy town, but people who could do something don't seem to want to know. I do.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD BY AGREEMENT