I have complained to Brighton and Hove City Council intermittently for the past 30 or 40 years about my pavementless side of the road never being swept.

I was once informed the brushes of the mechanical street cleaner would damage the flint walls and the area in question needs to be handswept.

I last wrote in July and received a reply from a senior contracts officer passing the matter to his colleague who manages the area.

I then received a letter from the acting street cleansing manager stating he had informed the team responsible for my area of the shortfall in Vicarage Lane, specifically the non-pavement areas and so on.

Last Wednesday morning, I saw two men sweeping the gutter of the pavement opposite, the side of the road which receives attention from the mechanical street cleanser. They did not give my side of the road the slightest glance.

I did not approach them because, with a child-size broom and paper bag in lieu of a dustpan, they were not equipped to do the job of gathering up loads of cigarette butts and other detritus.

On the credit side, our household refuse has hitherto been collected once a week, although we now do not know on which day they are coming - Wednesday or Thursday? - so I had better not threaten to stop paying my council tax.

-D Jenny Allistone, Vicarage Lane, Rottingdean