I AM writing regarding the farcical situation with Oxford City Council’s so-called recycling service.

Last week, we received furniture wrapped in extremely large cardboard boxes. The furniture also had polystyrene padding. We checked the brochure that Oxford City Council delivered when wheelie bins first became fashionable.

There was no mention of which collection would take the polystyrene.

We cut up and placed as much of the cardboard as possible inside the blue bin, the remainder was placed next to the bin for collection together with what was left of the polystyrene.

Our thinking was the binmen would take the cardboard and, if the polystyrene was a banned item, they would simply leave it.

Think again! They emptied the blue bin and leave everything else laid in the driveway to become sodden with rain and for the polystyrene to blow around all four corners of my driveway.

My calls of complaint to the city council were met with arrogance.

I was advised that I should have ordered a special collection (for cardboard). So, diesel-burning refuse truck number one refused to take it but now I should request diesel-burning monster number two to attend to pick up what the first crew should have done.

My direct debits for the council tax has been stopped from today and, unless I receive a satisfactory resolution to this farce, it won’t be paid. I welcome receiving my summons through the post!

If nothing else, I will enjoy my day out of the office in order to attend magistrates’ court, during which I will be able to highlight the small-minded people who work in the recycling section of Oxford City Council.

ALAN WOODWARD, Bulan Road, Oxford