‘I struggled to find drop-off points to take my rubbish’

I REFER to the inferior state of refuse collection over Xmas and new year in Coventry.

I tried both Hearsall Common and the Memorial Park.

Both sites had paid security guards to turn people away.

As you mentioned the instructions are manifestly misleading!

If this was private contracts for a rubbish collection then what the hell are we paying for?

This could then be a costly lawsuit.

At best this is reminiscent of the ‘Winter of Discontent’ in 1979 if what I am hearing is correct that neither the officers or the council seem in control of this mess!

It seems extraordinary to me that not even the chief executive can bring order!

Is it time for him to be sacked along with a few others?

In private contract this would be torturous but as this is the public realm this is morally criminal.

I wonder who can stand against it.

David Sandy

‘Council’s bin lorry drivers are right to strike!’

I THINK the council’s bin lorry drivers are justified to strike.

If they left the council and worked for Sainsbury’s, for example delivering food in those huge HGV vehicles, these men would receive a higher rate of pay, with generous bonuses and staff discounts.

I also think we should go back to having weekly green bin collections, due to the high level of fly-tipping still happening time and time again.

Whoever thought of these ‘pop up’ areas for the general public to drop off their own rubbish?

Where I live there isn’t a pop up in our area – this is utter madness, the temporary cost of this should be put aside towards their pay rise.

I am a disabled person, so I would have to rely on family members to do this.

More importantly we still have to pay our council tax so if the strike continues well into the new tax year from April, will we all receive a discount in our council tax statements( for not getting our weekly collection? I think not!

So please can someone take the bull by the horns and resolve this situation ASAP.

AC Hunter

‘Our country faces many challenges in 2022’

OUR country faces many challenges.

Global Warming – affecting the future lives of all, the Covid pandemic with so many personal tragedies, damage to our economy as many businesses are hit and innocent people lose their jobs.

But we can all be very grateful to dedicated staff in the NHS,

Doctors surgeries, pharmacies, military and volunteers from many backgrounds who have devoted so much time to giving and administering inoculations.

They are the caring heroes of this critical time.

Coun David Skinner (Conservative)

Westwood Ward

Coventry City Council

‘Campaigner Mark Taylor will be greatly missed’

I AM writing to pay tribute to local campaigner Mark Taylor who sadly passed away over the weekend.

Mark was a key figure for the Brexit campaign in Coventry and the West Midlands. He was very influential and was well-respected by the people he spoke to.

I will remember Mark because he was always very encouraging to me personally. I am also devastated because he came to a recent Coventry Citizens Party meeting with a view to standing in next year’s local elections.

Mark would have been a fantastic local representative because he cared about people and social issues.

He made many good friends across the political spectrum and he will be greatly missed.

I would like to express sympathy to Mark’s wife and family on behalf of campaigners who have worked with him in recent years.

Ian A Rogers

Chairman, Coventry UKIP 2017-19

Founder, Coventry Citizens Party (2019)

Cat Protection issues kitten buying warning

WITH online pet sales on the increase, Cats Protection would like to warn of the potential risk of buying an ill or diseased kitten.

The charity has heard of many kittens that were taken from their mothers at too young an age and sold online for the sake of a quick profit.

Kittens should be at least eight weeks old so they are fully weaned and developing normally from a health and behavioural perspective.

Unsuspecting buyers did not realise that they bought a potentially sick kitten until after purchase which meant they were sometimes left with high veterinary bills, or in some cases, a kitten which tragically died.

Action Fraud also reports that there has been a six-fold increase in instances of kitten and cat fraud (1,146 in 2020/21 compared to just 190 in 2019/20), underlining the need for buyers to be vigilant.

Please visit www.cats.org.uk/eight-weeks for advice on how to purchase a happy and healthy kitten or give a donation to help Cats

Protection care for unwanted kittens.

Dr Maggie Roberts

Director of Veterinary Services

Cats Protection

EDITOR’S COMMENT

LAST year was tough – in Coventry, throughout the UK and worldwide – as the pandemic to prevented or postponed events.This year is set to be another exciting one for the region with the continuation of the City of Culture year and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

We must do all we can to keep each other safe but also ensure the next 12 months help rebuild the West Midlands post-pandemic and bring people together.

We have already spent too much time apart.