Janet Bingley of Newport is right to decry attacks on our freedom and democracy. But the council s new recycling bins aren t part of any such attack. The microchips in the bins in Uttlesford are inactive and will not be used unless the law is changed so

Janet Bingley of Newport is right to decry attacks on our freedom and democracy. But the council's new recycling bins aren't part of any such attack.

The microchips in the bins in Uttlesford are inactive and will not be used unless the law is changed so the council is forced by the government to charge by weight of rubbish collected.

I'd like to reassure readers that the council has no plans to introduce a charging scheme. If the government at any point in the 15-year lifespan of the bins changes the law, then the council hopes that it will not require all councils to charge. We would expect the government to allow councils with good records on recycling to pursue their own arrangements.

We are confident that three-bin recycling will achieve the boost to recycling rates that we want.

So the more we recycle here in Uttlesford the less likely it is we'll be forced by government to introduce a charging system with all the paraphernalia that it involves. It cost £72,000 to fit the chips during manufacture of the bins - to do so retrospectively would cost at least £340,000.

Cllr Alan Thawley Chairman of the Environment Committee