I THINK that Durham County Council has made a right mess over the brown bin system.

I have always called for more home composting, which does not need a recycling vehicle to carry it away or any paid manpower, to be a priority.

Then we discovered that Durham County Council (DCC) purchased its blue, green and brown bins from abroad.

When the brown bins were launched, not every household received one, whereas some homes without a garden did.

Why were residents not asked if they had the facilities, or the inclination, to use a brown bin and that delivery be made on that basis?

Perhaps, then, there would not have been any need to charge £20 to have the brown bin materials removed next year.

I would say to the cabinet members that we pay very high council taxes.

Residents already have to pay £40 per visit for the removal of wasps, bees etc. In the case of rats, the public may not report them and this could lead to a rat explosion.

Ben Ord, Spennymoor.