I WROTE to this page in March, warning about the obvious consequences of the new 'subsidise fly-tipping tax'. How much would it cost to clear up the inevitable dumping of waste, I wondered? Cue indignant noises and wagging fingers from various Conservative councillors, with irrelevant lists of all the things we can recycle without charge.

In early May, after the 'Tory tip tax' had been in operation for five or six weeks, I wrote again to point out that the BBC were already reporting exactly what I had predicted - a marked increase in fly-tipping.

Fast forward to October, and the spenders of our council tax are now 'urging residents of West Devon to act responsibly, following an increase in fly tipping which is causing an eyesore at local beauty spots'.

Clearly the council have learned nothing and, safe in their ivory towers for a while yet, have decided that they don't need to do anything either because it's all our fault.

Haven't they any concept of cause and effect? We are in the depths of a recession and they want to charge £2 a bag to take rubble to the recycling centre. What exactly did they expect?

Ann Keelan

Whitchurch Road

Tavistock