Sir - I applaud Ruth Wickett's suggestion about street cleaning in front of one's own property. When I lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, about 40 years ago there was a city ordinance (by-law) that required me to clear the pavement (side-walk) in front of my house (or my shop if I were a business owner) in the inner suburbs.

Though this was primarily designed to clear snow from the pedestrian walks in the winter, it had the extra effect that someone was responsible for removing the residual dog mess left.

Such a by-law, enforced as it was there, would make walking in the streets of Oxford much more pleasant than it is now.

Gerald Elliott, Oxford