Having just returned from Rome and Pompeii, were I witnessed the crafts and skills of ancient civilisations, you can imagine my delight on finding a wheelie bin on my drive.

This resplendent receptacle, in bottle green and boasting its affiliation with Brighton and Hove City Council, has clearly been designed to enhance the status of every "des res" and doubtless will remain a lasting testimony to today's Britain.

Having previously received one of those delightful glossy leaflets which are issued by local authorities and the like (at what cost?) when advancing one of their many mind boggling schemes, I was aware of the many benefits that will accrue from the wheelie bin and the recycling boxes that already adorn the short drive to my garage.

In the circumstances, I could barely contain my excitement at the prospect of spending more time sorting vast quantities of rubbish, the majority of which is off-loaded on to me by third parties, into different categories and squashing plastic bottles and washed cans.

A new hobby and at no cost - that is assuming that you do not count my time in operating the scheme as a cost.

Possibly it is uncharitable to express reservations when so much is on offer but I have this nagging feeling that someone may be missing the point regarding refuse collection.

In the past, council taxes made provision for unconditional collection of refuse so why has the situation changed? Why should householders and others be called upon to sift refuse, clean the property of others and lug receptacles into the road? Are we to expect some saving in our taxes by making CityClean's job easier?

The level of "waste" has increased significantly over the years as more and more junk mail is sent out and suppliers utilise ever increasing quantities of packaging.

However, the situation is not new and local authorities should have made provision for increasing demand without involving the communities they purport to serve.

Coupled with this, the Government should be addressing the root cause of the problem instead of confining its activities to setting doubtful targets.

Presumably CityClean's next missive will call upon neighbourhood watches to extend their brief to making provision for properly sifted and sorted refuse to be loaded on to the vehicles.

After all, why should we expect CityClean's operatives to exert themselves when other mugs are available?

-Neil Kelly, Hove