Brian, I think I would be furious if I was paying my council tax every month and had to live in those conditions. We are very lucky as council refuse was privatised years ago. I don’t know what their contract is, but recently the council have been buying new electric refuse vehicles. They never have this nonsense about if the lid is not closed the bin won’t be emptied. They have caught on that they have been losing money as it’s now £70.00 a year for the garden bin, but people have moved house and cancelled their direct debit. The new owners have been using the service without paying. This financial year you had to pay for the bin either on line or phone the council. You are then sent a large yellow sticker for the top of your bin. No yellow sticker and the bin is not emptied.