If everyone just stopped paying their council tax in protest then they would soon do a uturn and get back to doing what WE pay them to do. And they couldnt cope with this mass protest and neither could the courts

andrew, Llangollen,

Both local councils and their umbrella organization the Local Government Association appear to have ost sight of who is the teller and who is the told. To clarify the situation for them; the Council Tax payer says "jump" and the local government reply is "how high sir"?

John Websell, East Halton, N Lincs, UK

If the Conservative controlled council won't listen to them, maybe they should complain to their local Conservative MP - a certain Mr William Hague.

Dave, Edinburgh, Uk

Sasha: I've just moved from Canterbury, having lived there for the past 3 years. We didn't have to pay for the bags, they were either left on our doorstop or we picked them up for free at the recycling point!

Margot, Fife,

behold, life under nulaba

peter c, devizes, wessex

Under the same European Rules, we have our refuse collected twice per DAY at present (dropping to DAILY in the Winter). Recyclables are twice/week.

That service is provided by our Greek council for the cost of 10 to 12 Euros/month.

There are some serious 'gravy trains' in the UK.

BP Vallance, LEFKIMMI, Greece

Several years ago I had problems with Wrexham council.... so i tipped the bins over the council counter...councils are bullies and should be shown that the people will fight back.

Yachydda, Wrexham, Wales UK

What is the political complexion of the council?

Chris, Birmingham,

The stupid situation in an isolated hamlet does not make all recycling evil. We have fortnightly collection of food waste without a pest problem because we keep our bin lid down - doh! Britain is not Naples. Make sure we don't run out of landfill.

diana, derby,

"A council spokesman said .. the new arrangements would be reviewed in September."

Why September? I reviewed the arrangements by the end of the 1st paragraph. Why do civil servants' minds work at such a glacially slow pace and, even then, normally arrive at the wrong conclusion?

Michael, Brighton,

I spot an opportunity for Manchester. Let's stop all collection of rubbish, and open a central collection point in the middle of the city. Then everyone will have to drive their rubbish in and they can be charged for dropping it off, and with cunning opening times have to pay congestion charge too

W Smith, Manchester,

I live in a small village in Spain. We have a large bin in the street, every street does, and the local council collect the rubbish THREE times a week.

Our local tax is a massive 50 Euros - a year.

If Spain can do it why not the UK?

Ned Flanders, Aledo, Spain

if all the residnets went and deposited thier rubbish in the local council building as a way of protest, i think a compromise would be very quickly reached.

mike, nottingham,

I don't understand how councils can be so stupid. Much of the taxpaying public see hardly any of what their council tax pays for. Rubbish collection is the one service important to everyone. It should be their flagship. It's a few % of expenditure, stop messing about and just empty the damn bins.

Steve, Swindon,

Take your rubbish to the headquarters of whichever political party is in power and dump it there. If you were to dump it at the Town Hall it would probably be a criminal offence. Dumping it on private property is trespass and the owner of the land would need to sue you (if they can identify you) .

C Byrne, Pinner, UK

The reason behind this is the EU Landfill Directive -a worthy objective. But, as often with EU directives, when they are implemented by the jobsworths in the UK they become something completely different - to the detriment of the voters and to make life easier for the jobsworths.

Ron, Cambridge,

No rubbish collection = withold the refuse part of your council tax. Make sure that you do this in conjunction with ALL your neighbours. Collectively you are strong and the council is powerless. Remember they WORK for YOU. It's called democracy and in McStalins Britain it's prettty sick these days

Ethan, nr Dole Farm, UK (not Scotland)

Typical of local councils - I am being asked to pay almost £100 for my local authority to remove and replace a split wheelie bin. Not only this, but we have three different colours of bags for different types of waste and bags cost £15 a roll. Why is rubbish so complicated and so expensive...?

Sasha, Canterbury,

By abdicating its responsibility for maintaining public health, the Council is guilty of misfeasance and nonfeasance in public office, thereby forfeiting its legitimacy.

The Victorians, awash in rubbish & rats, filth & disease, learned the hard way that public collection of rubbish was essential.

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

Now here's an idea .... pay people to sort out their rubbish. Doesn't have to be a lot, but it will provide an incentive to recycle. It works fine in Thailand and there are plenty of collectors willing to pay too.

Roger Lorton, Nongprue, Thailand

Can anyone tell me what Council Tax pays for apart from Councillors' expenses and staff pensions. It used to pay for refuse collection when I lived in the Uk, but that seems to have changed. Progress I guess.

Geoff Lusk, Margueron, France

are they mad or what? this is the final piece on the goverments madness.

Ok me have a great idea.

To get food and rent you get these folks rubish to the truck once a week.

Or lets look at things another way, lets all help each other and get on, this would be better for sure.

john, wellington,

so saving money on waste managment is offset with 1000% increase in costs of pest control with increase in risk to public health and enviromental pollution caused by short sighted Quango's looking to cut a few pence.

better to sack all the PC~Quango's and save millions of our council taxes!

simon, norwich,

Class action: breach of contract. Stand up all the lawyers who will handle it for free?

Ross, Bristol,