We’ve been had – by some party-political shenanigans of the worst kind. Talk about grubby debates.

Alleging that cutting the number of rubbish bins is an alternative to reducing expenditure on the needy is frankly cynical opportunism.

How can our councillors talk about the two issues in the same breath – let alone couple them together as competing service priorities?

Aware that dirty politics abounds in the murky corridors of council offices we know the depths have really been plumbed when rubbish like this is dredged up.

Let me spell it out for the doubters.

An absence of bins will result in an increase in litter.

Extra litter will result in the need for more staff (or overtime payments).

Additional staff equates to more money to be shelled out, but meanwhile the budget has been spent on other things. Ergo a reduction in litter bins increases overall costs to the council taxpayer.

Allan Charlesworth, Old Earswick, York