Sir — We normally take the collection of household waste for granted until our bins are forgotten or changes proposed.

Jacqueline Jones noted in her letter (October 24) that the Vale of White Horse District Council is negotiating a new contract for household waste collection. I would like to respond to some of the points she made.

The present contract will end shortly and another contract is required. The Vale district council has joined with South Oxfordshire District Council to agree a joint contract for the collection of household waste. The new joint contract will be cheaper for residents because the two councils are combining their service.

There will continue to be a weekly collection of food waste (to avoid unwanted smells). Other waste will be collected fortnightly. This is in line with all the other local authorities in Oxfordshire who have agreed to introduce fortnightly residual waste collections.

Collections will be simpler for the householder as they will be made on the same day each week. One week, food waste will be collected from a small caddy and recyclable waste from a wheeled bin. The next week, food waste will be collected along with non-recyclable waste. There will be separate, opt-in collections of garden waste every fortnight.

The new contract should increase recycling rates and reduce the cost of sending residual waste to landfill sites. The Vale has already reached a recycling rate of over 39 per cent. In future it will be possible to recycle a wider range of materials and this rate should rise. The Vale district council is aiming to provide a waste collection service that is less costly, reduces the amount going to landfill and responds to people’s individual needs.

Dr Dudley Hoddinott, Member of the Joint Waste Board, Vale of White Horse District Council, and district councillor for Appleton and Cumnor, Cumnor Hill