Sir - Your editorial (January 25) praised the city council for getting "ahead of the game" with our plans for weekly kitchen waste collection.

I just want to make clear that our longer-term plan has always been to reduce the amount of waste, to re-use wherever possible and to recycle the rest; and to remind people that there is a lot they can do themselves without waiting for a council initiative.

First, the city council had to catch up from the low position in May 2006 when only about 19 per cent of domestic waste was being recycled. We are now reycling across the city double that percentage. So far so good. But not good enough: a lot of what goes in the green bins is capable of being composted. But many households do not have the capacity to compost their own kitchen waste.

So the next major step forward will be to take kitchen waste to a large composter which can function on a county-wide basis. This is expected to be available in 2009.

But before 2009 it is important to try out what works best. A city council pilot across a diverse range of types of household in the city is the right way ahead. We look to start this within the next few months.

And the campaign against excess packaging can be taken to the next level by customer power: last summer I launched a drive against the unnecessary plastic bag.

Again there was a very welcome and positive response from the press and many people. "Bags for life" are becoming common and showing that their name is well-deserved. So far so good. But not enough: still too much packaging and far too many plastic bags are accepted by us as shoppers every day. I appeal to your readers: get your own bag for life, use it and flaunt it!

John Goddard, Leader, Oxford City Council