Just what has been the reaction of Oxford's residents to the Liberal Democrat city council's recycling revolution?

That was the question I asked myself - with a certain amount of nervousness - before spending a Saturday afternoon knocking on doors in Headington to find out what my voters thought of their new wheelie bins.

We all know residents want to recycle more.

That is why the new Lib Dem council has pledged to double - to more than 40 per cent - the amount of household waste recycled over the next two years.

This will mean Oxford's recycling rate is among the best in the UK. But we also know the new recycling scheme is a big change for residents, and will take a little getting used to.

My colleague, David Rundle, and I deliberately chose a couple of streets where we knew there had been teething problems because the wheelie bins which had been delivered were unsuitable (either because the houses faced directly on to the street, or the bins were too big to fit inside residents' bin stores).

I was half-expecting to get a real ear-bashing, with householders decrying the council's incompetence. I could not have been more wrong.

Almost without exception, all residents we spoke to were happy and enthusiastic about the scheme.

Those who had experienced problems said they had found the council helpful and responsive.

I can honestly say I've rarely met such a positive reaction.

Credit is due to those council staff who have worked so hard to assist residents.

If we all play our part, we can, together, boost Oxford's recycling rate and help improve our environment.

STEPHEN TALL (Councillor) Liberal Democrat Headington ward Oxford City Council