ONE of our members has recently taken delivery of a new fridge and freezer.

You might say lucky person, but in this crazy world of local politics they have created themselves a problem as they now have two old fridges to rid themselves of.

They phoned our council and asked about bulk removals and were told that to remove the fridges it would cost them £12 per fridge, but if they were to take the fridges themselves over to Widnes from Runcorn that there would be no charge.

This then begs the question, how does the same wagon that picks up fridges, manage to take beds, three piece suites and any other household furniture for free?

All the time the public is being told how they can protect their environment but a charge for those who do not have their own transport surly flies in off the council's anti-poverty strategy.

This policy will encourage fly tipping and, in the past, it has been known that children trapped inside of dumped fridges have died.

How can this be in the best interest of the citizens of Halton?

Runcorn has the lowest car ownership in Cheshire and the council is well aware of this.

If there must be a charge, let's make it a reasonable charge such as a £1 per item for bulk removal, therefore showing that Halton Council cares for the environment and, more to the point, cares about its citizens who are the local taxpayers.

Michael Gelling, Party Secretary, Runcorn