Refuse: Each and every one of us is personally accountable for the refuse we produce – this is an unavoidable fact of life.

Not a day goes by without reading of or hearing of someone complaining about what 'the council' does or fails to do in terms of disposal of their refuse.

The vast majority of us do not complain and are thankful for the excellent services we currently have.

My bin is always emptied on time – whatever the weather or time of year.

I can take my recycling to the tip and all the staff there are helpful and friendly and only too happy to assist where necessary.

I can contact North Tyneside Council to have larger items picked up.

In my view, the refuse rules are quite simple: Manage your own refuse volumes and produce less, recycle what you can and be accountable for ensuring the refuse that you do have is disposed of appropriately. Your refuse – your responsibility.

Message to Mr King (letters, News Guardian, May 1): I love the 1p per minute parking, I think it is brilliant!

I regularly park in North Shields and have my timings to the, dare I say, penny? I put 15p in the meter and this gets me to my two destinations and back again, with perhaps, dare I say, a penny to spare?

Previously I was paying for 30 minutes parking that I did not require.

So it works out cheaper for me.

I can honestly say at no stage did I consider putting in a denomination of less than 5p.

I do concede your points about not actually being able to put a 1p in the meter and around enforcement – although to be fair I am not sure what mileage I would cover on foot for 1p, nor have I pondered the dilemma of being in breach of my well honed timing system!

I feel so much better now!


JANICE LAVERICK
North Shields.

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