• I SUPPORT the comment of Labour councillor Paul Dimoldenberg concerning the five-point plan, (Labour plans to tackle the dumping of rubbish, August 13).

However I wanted to recount my experience and raise my concern.

A few years ago I got a letter from Westminster City Council for a penalty because of dumping a small bin bag outside council’s big bin container, not inside.

Indeed, I had to leave it outside because it was too heavy for me to lift a lid with one hand and throw in a bin bag with the other at the same time.

I called the council to explain the reason, but I was told that I still had to pay the fine. I felt it was not fair, but the longer you leave it, the more you have to pay.

So, I paid before the first deadline, cutting off my food expenses for a few weeks. It was very struggling to survive.

After the payment I called the council again to say what had happened to me, and ask what I should do in the future because I did not want to keep getting fined.

A gentleman on the phone said , in that case, I am allowed to leave a bin bag outside. But really, they could not promise I won’t get fined again.

So I suggested that they could introduce bin containers where you can open lids by foot pedals. He said he would put forward the suggestion.

How many years? Typically nothing has changed. And how do they find out my address to send the letter?

I have seen a council inspector opening bin bags to dig out an envelope or label with an address on. I was a bit shocked to see it.

I would like to understand the action but, in terms of privacy and security, I am not really sure. Readers, make sure you tear up whatever your address is on before throwing away!

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED, W2