SIR: New improved garden waste service!! Winchester City Council is asking for a major flytipping exercise when it introduces the garden waste service. It's obviously not enough for pensioners, individuals on benefits and low income earners having to pay for essential services to now be expected to pay for getting rid of garden waste as well. Individuals are already dumping garden waste in alleyways because they can't be bothered to use the free service available now, what's the chance of them paying a minimum £39 a year charge in 2021?

The council must be aware that since the introduction of having to pay for recycling building rubble etc at tips there is an increase in illegal flytipping; this new charge going to lead to roadside dumping, without doubt.

What happens when Winchester residents boycott this latest charge.....piles of garden waste wherever it can be dumped without perpetrators being seen or caught. Conclusion, our once beautiful city is slowly looking dilapidated, check out the alleyways, side roads, roadside verges they are a mess, this new service will further drag Winchester down, shame on the council.

Bob Bland,

Upton Grey Close,

Harestock,

Winchester