WHATEVER stupid idea will our councillors come up with next in their endeavour to cut vital services to the people of Bolton?

Are they totally obsessed with cost cutting of vital services, but think it good for us to employ Fairness Officers, Walking Officers and the like, and ignore the principles of public health?

I refer to the suggestion of fortnightly collection of domestic putrescible refuse. It may be useful if they would listen to a little history.

Prior to the 1960s, the analysis of domestic refuse was primarily ash -- the residue of the open fire -- but, with the advent of the Clean Air Act (Bolton being the first in the country to introduce a smokeless zone), the contents of the domestic bin (two-and-a-half cubic feet at the time), became virtually ash-free, giving way to the increase of empty food containers and bulky packaging material. This resulted in overflowing bins and numerous boxes which were previously burnt.

To overcome this problem, the wheelie bin was introduced which not only accommodated the increased bulk, but was more hygienic.

Our councillors must never forget the principle for the weekly collection based on sound public health practices, ie the life cycle of the bluebottle and domestic fly, which a complete metamorphis is, under normal conditions, around eight days.

May I say it's a good job that our council's forefathers didn't have the same views as the present ones, otherwise money would never have been spent on smoke control, thus eliminating smog. And we would still have ash pits, tippler closets, no sewers, unsafe drinking water etc, all supplied by sound public health principles.

No sir, mess about with public health at your peril, putrescible matter must be removed weekly.

J M Lowe

New Hall Lane

Bolton