MADAM - Quintessential Sidmouth, the jewel in the crown of East Devon, continuous winners of Britain in Bloom, best kept town, and World Heritage status, or have we decided to let Sidmouth become like the streets of Basra, and such other third world countries?

MADAM - Quintessential Sidmouth, the jewel in the crown of East Devon, continuous winners of Britain in Bloom, best kept town, and World Heritage status, or have we decided to let Sidmouth become like the streets of Basra, and such other third world contries?

East Devon District Council is insisting we place these unsightly coloured receptacles at the front of our homes either on the pavement or in our gardens.

The houses on Fortfield Place, and Station Road were built in the 1800s and are on the most narrow part of the road. They were built with the convenience of having rear access for tradesmen deliveries and collections and have operated quite efficiently until June 2, 2009.

East Devon District Council has now enforced a regime of only collecting from the front of our properties which, in our view, is only a time and motion and cost cutting exercise. Either comply or deny a refuse collection.

Every household, or rather every council tax payer, can approach a selection of private refuse companies in the area and have a weekly collection of all waste from whereever you choose, for as little as �1 per week.

As a life member of the Sid Vale Association and a Sidmouth in Bloom winner, all of our neighbours take a pride in our gardens, and the thought of us all cluttering up the front of our houses horrifies us all.

There is no reason why our bins cannot be collected from the rear as they have been for many years. Even Mr Gordon Brown says let the people choose ( quotation in Daily Mail). East Devon Council do not want to listen to us.

Mr M Hartnell

and the residents of Fortfield Place.