I'D just like to say how a number of people, including

myself, feel regarding the new garden waste charge which

is being introduced by the Forest of Dean Council.

The council may have reasons for introducing a

supplementary charge, although I feel that the £2,000

plus, my wife and I pay yearly in council tax, a substantial

part of which goes to the council, should still include such

a service, and one wonders if the service has been done

sensibly and economically over the years.

What people, including myself are very unhappy

about, is the way it's been introduced. No consultation of

any type, of course, but more worrying is the disgraceful

publicity distributed recently (see below).

Considering the financial hardship many of us are

going through in these difficult times, the wording on this

reminder is threatening, offensive and insulting.

One wonders if the tone they've used is due to some

kind of guilt feeling: i.e. people who feel unsure or guilty

often behave like bullies and can be very rude.

Separately, alluding to Easter, the most important

Christian festival, in this way, is very bad taste – I must

add here that I'm not a Christian myself, but feel that

some respect is needed when it comes to religious

festivals.

All in all the tone of this advert is very offensive and

completely out of place.

Do other people at the Review share our views?

I am looking forward to hearing what others think

and what should be done regarding this matter, as some

open debate would be relevant.

– Jean-Luc Provansal.