IN THE recent article about residents of Brighton and Hove paying more money for fewer bin collections, the Green Party deputy leader admits that their recycling record is "disappointing" but fails to explain what their party has been doing about this in the 25 years since the Greens have had representation on the council or why they haven't done anything about it after being in charge of the council for two periods of time in recent years ("City council defends its bin collection service" The Argus, May 24).

The Green deputy leader is quoted as saying that "As Greens, we are disappointed with the persistent low percentage our city recycles" yet their own party is arguably responsible for some of the problems through their own inaction and their decision to end "doorstep" recycling in some areas.

By the end of the previous Green-led administration in 2015, the rate of recycling in this city had fallen to below 25 per cent, which was one of the lowest in the South of England.

The recycling rate for the city was 29.4 per cent in the period 2019/20 compared with the South East England rate of 47.5 per cent, again well down the league table for local councils.

Just what have the Greens been doing for the past 25 years to increase recycling?

The same could be said about their continual opposition to "park and ride" schemes which could have helped to reduce the level of traffic in our city.

Other local councils have moved ahead with schemes for recycling and for park/ride schemes since the 1990's.

As with the Green Party's bizarre promotion of the i360, which cost £40.2 million in public funds and now owes the council many millions of pounds, there continues to be excuse after excuse after excuse.

The environmentalist credentials of this Green Party are clearly flawed.

Rob Heale

Chatham Place

Brighton