Sir - Before Christmas, I wrote to the chief executive of Oxford City Council appealing to him to stop his men blocking paths for the postmen, referring mainly to the narrow paths of terraced houses. I don't suppose this is a problem in Rawlinson Road. The response was unexpected enough to warrant attention by your readers. He explained that blocking the path to the front door is the correct procedure, not only for dustmen but for residents too. This is because it is always the most accessible point nearest to the pavement, and furthermore (for reasons I don't understand) it is unreasonable to call it "blocking" at all.

Moreover, residents can easily gain access to and from the property when the path is "allegedly blocked". He doesn't mention the postmen or other callers at all, although his email is headed "Re: Pity the Postmen". However, he does explain that it is the householder not the council who is responsible for the collection (as well as for the "presentation") of rubbish. I don't understand how this can be, just as I don't understand why blocking is not blocking. Perhaps a councillor or somebody else does understand.

It seems to be implied that the residents need to stay at home every week to move the wheelie bin(s) and/or recycling boxes out of the way at just the right moment (and indeed, the recycling boxes out of the way of the wheelie bin men too).

Roger Moreton, East Oxford