IT seems that our masters are now going to charge us for disposing of some items that normally we would take to the recycling centre.

Such imposition will inevitably lead to an increase in fly-tipping in our countryside and that will mean more rubbish being dumped in such places as Roborough Down and RAF Harrowbeer, Yelverton.

To those who are inclined to act as litterbugs, I make these points:

1, Most of our countryside is privately owned — and that includes Roborough Down and RAF Harrowbeer

2, If you dump rubbish on private land, the landowner has to clear your rubbish at his expense, not the local authority (your council), unless you deposit the garbage within one metre of the roadside. Within that distance the local authority has to clear it up, not the landowner

3,  There are elections looming, so since our democracy is supposed to allow us to express our views through the ballot box I suggest that we all take that opportunity, although letters sent directly to our county councillors might be more effective!

Brian Salt

The Village

Buckland Monachorum

OUR national government is quite rightly tackling Labour's legacy of profligacy. Unfortunately, Conservative policy at local government level seems to be 'fleece the law-abiding'.

We have seen off – for now – the 'parking tax', but Devon County Council's latest wheeze is a 'subsidise fly-tipping tax'. Domestic users are to pay £2 a bag for any soil, rubble, tiles, bricks etc. that we take to Crowndale for recycling. What's more, the site operators tell me that there will be a seven-minute deadline for unloading.

How much will it cost to process the payments, give receipts and bank the money? What about the waste of staff time, standing guard with a stopwatch as people unload their cars? How much will it cost to clear up the inevitable fly-tipping? The cost of police time to prosecute those who dump their old bathroom in the nearest ditch?

The charging policy applies from Friday April 1 — how appropriate for such a very foolish decision. Perhaps Mr Cameron should have reminded the lower echelons of his party that they will be answerable to the electorate on May 5.

Ann Keelan

Whitchurch Road

Tavistock