IN RECENT days two items have made regular appearances in The Press.

The first one is the removal of litter bins from across the city. This was done without any real consultation and it would have saved a lot of aggravation if other options had been looked at first.

If the intention was to save a mere £40,000, then why did the council not invest £20,000 on having the civic car refurbished and save money that way.

The lifespan of a car of that quality is approximately 150,000 miles. This car, I should imagine, has done nowhere near that.

Or they could employ a temporary executive for £1,500 per week; over six months this would save £36,000. But they know what they are doing, just ask them.

The second point is air quality. Many years ago we were taught at school that because of its geographical situation in the centre of an area surrounded by hills, with its lowest point below sea level and the land to the east being marshy, York had the second highest bronchial illness occurrence in the country.

So even if we remove all motor vehicles will we cure the problem? No, removing cars or introducing a 20mph zone will not do anything except cost us money.

Terry McLaughlin, Leeside, York.

• DOES City of York Council not understand the concept of York Pride? The decision to withdraw many litter bins from around the city is crass and ignorant. The volunteers working on behalf of Britain In Bloom and other groups contribute an enormous amount of time, effort and energy, as outlined recently by the Royal Horticultural Society.

While the volunteers do not expect thanks, they do not deserve such a slap in the face.

Savings can be made by encouraging and inspiring voluntary effort yet instead the York Politburo has squandered vital goodwill. Partnerships take time to build, but motivation and morale need to be harnessed rather than crushed.

To misquote Pyrrhus: “We can’t afford any more savings like this”. Be wise and make a U-turn.

Linda Maggs, Dunnington Britain in Bloom volunteer, Church Lane, Dunnington.

• WE’VE “bin” more than robbed. We have streets with more pot-holes than road, yet the council’s road repair teams have been reduced.

When it rains the water flows over blocked gully drains forming large and dangerous puddles in our roads.

Where there used to be litter bins, we now have piles of litter and next winter salt bins will not be refilled. This is all because of James Alexander’s targeted cuts and fairness agenda. What is fair about increased council tax under Labour for reduced front line services?

Don’t tell us it is Government cuts – they are your cuts, James.

He is spending £20,000 per year on administration charges for an unelected body to spend what used to be ward funding that was allocated by locally accountable councillors. Then, he is to spend tens of thousands of pounds on his 20s Plenty political gimmick campaign. Incidentally, the evidence has been that the 20mph limit has been a failure in Portsmouth.

The loss of litter bins and other front line support services is a consequence of Labour’s politically driven spending cuts.

The contempt Labour councillors are showing for those who pay council tax and whom they are supposed to represent, is palpable.

Coun Joe Watt, The Village, Skelton, York.

• DESPITE desperate attempts to defend Labour’s cuts to the ward committee budgets by one of their local party members (Letters, June 21), the facts speak for themselves.

Labour cut the ward budgets by 66 per cent. They have said the council will not fund all the salt bins in the city, and without public consultation they have begun to remove 349 litter and dog bins from our streets, including in my ward.

This is the reality of Labour’s cuts.

Across the city residents have expressed frustration. The reduction in ward budgets has seen many local and voluntary groups have lost vital funding and a key plank of local democracy has been undermined.

Perhaps instead of attacking local Liberal Democrat councillors, Labour supporters’ time would be better spent answering the question of how Labour can pay a temp £3,000 a week or give the council leader £1 million to spend, but cannot find the money to fund front line services or support local groups?

I am pleased opposition councillors are taking a stand and opposing these cuts.

Coun Nigel Ayre (Lib Dem), Galtres Road, Heworth, York.

• CLEAN up for London for the Olympics; mess up for York. Fewer waste bins will see more litter on the streets, alongside all the Canada geese droppings along the river walks and parks.

The council must have been grateful for all the heavy rain last week, for at lest the city’s pavements got a good wash down, saving more money.

I just hope visitors to York don’t go home with a bad impression telling their friends: wonderful city, full of history, but the streets are dirty.

Mrs M Robinson, Broadway, York.