MR Yates (Letters, November 10), has been treated badly by the council over his stolen wheelie bin.

Only two days before the letter appeared, I rang the council and asked what I should do if my bin was stolen.

I was told to inform the police. Have the police nothing else better to do than deal with wheelie bins?

Why is it when we want to speak to someone at the council, nine out of ten times they are at a meeting?

More action and fewer meetings would be better for the town (or is the meeting an excuse not to speak to someone?) Here are a few guidelines to ensure your bin is not stolen on collection day: 1. Go and stand or sit by your bin (take a brolly, it may rain).

2. Tell your boss you will only be working four days a week, three days every other week if you are a garden bin owner, because you will be guarding your bin.

3. Don’t make any hospital, GP or dental appointments because you will be guarding your bin.

4. Don’t leave the house on bin day because you will be guarding your bin.

Perhaps I will leave mine on the town hall steps. Yet again, another scheme has not been thought out properly.

H HAMER, Blackburn.