MADAM, In thirty years of reading the Ross Gazette, no article has aroused more fury than your report last week that Richard Mayo had been fined for the 'crime' of placing recyclable material in a recycling skip. Mr Mayo is well-known in the town for all the good he has done to encourage the regeneration of the town centre. Everyone else involved in this case should be utterly ashamed of themselves.
Our county councillors - who are ultimately responsible for policy and the way it is implemented. Do they really believe that they should allow upright citizens to be prosecuted for an act of public good? Resign, all of you, and let us elect some councillors who can tell the difference between good and bad! Our council officials - who clearly believe that paying their staff to rummage through recyclable cardboard is a proper way to spend our money. They should be sacked.
The police - for allowing their time to be wasted on such a ridiculous matter when there are so many genuine problems that they apparently have no time to deal with. The magistrates - for allowing the council to use a law against fly-tipping in a completely inappropriate case.
The most outrageous part was the award of a 'victim surcharge'. No doubt we all thought, until now, that courts awarded this to victims of violence or robbery. Now we know the truth - they are actually awarded against the victim of a travesty of justice.
This whole case underlines the hostility which Herefordshire Council apparently feels against all businesses in the town. We pay exorbitant business rates, yet we have no representation. We get absolutely no worthwhile services in exchange, simply a load of abuse.
Nick Nelson, Chairman
Micross Electronics Ltd