ENCLOSED is a copy of a letter sent to Cllr John Walsh regarding the inefficiency of the street cleaners.

"I wish to complain about the so-called street cleaner who came along my avenue one Saturday.

It was a complete waste of money to pay for man and machine and did he get paid overtime for "working" on Saturday? Actually he was not working at all, but playing at swooping on and off the pavement as fast as the toy machine would allow him to go. He was up and down the street at a speed that I have never seen one of those machines driven before - he seemed quite reckless.

The only difference to the avenue after he had gone was that more of the cracked flags had been disturbed. People who live round here take a pride in their surroundings and do not leave litter lying about. The money would have been better spent in repairing the dangerous condition of the pavements.

I have watched these machines before and consider them to be totally inefficient. They do not clear half the rubbish that dirty, lazy people throw about with no fear of the litter law being enforced. They have to dodge round lamp-posts and parked cars. They cannot get into corners and are incapable of doing a good job.

Members of the council who are responsible for spending our money wisely would do well to encourage the public to take pride in their surroundings and clean up their own mess then some money would be freed to do vital repairs to pavements."

Name and address supplied

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.