Sir – Cllr John Tanner has waxed lyrical about the ease with which residents of Oxford may recycle their rubbish using the new blue wheelie bin scheme, due to commence on October 18. Sadly, our household cannot benefit, because we have not received our blue bin. About a month ago, the new bins were delivered in our road and, when I saw the lorry about to depart without leaving one at our house, I ran out to speak to the foreman. He said he did not have one for us, and went on to explain that the barcodes on the new bins were related to house numbers, and because we did not have a number, we could not have a bin. The council representative with him suggested that perhaps this was because our house was new. I told him our house had been here for 72 years, without a number and with the same name.

I contacted the council the next morning and the young lady said she would pass the message on. I heard nothing more and when the council’s booklet about the scheme arrived a couple of weeks later, I telephoned again. This time I was assured that not having a house number did not deprive me of having a bin and that one would be delivered before October 18.

When this had not happened by October 15, I telephoned again and was told that there would be a delay of up to 28 days.

Perhaps Cllr Tanner would tell your readers how many other households have not received their blue bins because the houses have a name but no number. Also, if the barcode is related to the house number or name, will this be used to monitor the amount of waste from each household?

Ian G Simpson Old Marston