Reports that Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman will unveil the new Government waste policy soon and that the policy will encourage councils that implemented fortnightly waste collections to bring back weekly rounds should be welcome news for all those concerned with the reported adverse effects of waste material left for two weeks, which during holidays or bad weather could become three or four weeks.

Fortnightly collections and over-zealous enforcement of recycling rules have lead to more fly-tipping and infestations by maggots, flies and rats. Fortnightly collections were prompted by Labour's target culture and drive towards increasing recycling at any cost. Council officers took up the cudgels with glee much like Muttley (remember Dastardly and Muttley) craving for medals. No one counted the cost, often two or three times the landfill charges saved by recycling.

Comments published in media blogs by residents of Gloucester and Cheltenham that have implemented fortnightly collections last year make interesting reading.

Fortunately, councils are now forbidden to enforce unworkable recycling rules or levy bin fines. The 117 or so councils out of 390 that have implemented alternate weekly collections and expensive recycling schemes will have difficulty in dealing with the new situation and restore weekly rounds.

The World Health Organisation has said that rubbish should be collected weekly in climates like Britain's. Coalition policy direction has been known now for over a year as also government intention to restore weekly bin collections.

Those that have planned to follow suit but yet to start such as the Forest of Dean Council will have to think hard how best to reverse their premature and unwise decision last year. Regrettably, Joe-taxpayer will end up paying the high cost of their council's decision whatever it is.

– Venk Shenoi, Blaisdon.