CAMPAIGN: CHARITIES and voluntary groups in Codford, near Warminster, say they are being conned by West Wiltshire District Council over charges for their rubbish collection.

The 1st Codford Cub Group has just received a bill for nearly £300, which describes their collection as commercial, or trade waste.

Don Bartlett, the group's chairman, said only eight boys used the hut once a week during school term time.

He said: "A pensioner would probably produce in a week an equivalent volume of refuse to these boys over two months."

"To describe our refuse as commercial, or trade in nature is erroneous, highly overstated and is firmly challenged."

The bill had been backdated to 1999 and Mr Bartlett is worried that they will struggle to pay, and said they cannot keep paying an annual collection charge.

Parish council chairman Romy Wyeth said the matter was discussed at a meeting on Monday night.

She said: "The Woolstore Theatre has received an enormous bill and so has the church. It's like the lunatics have taken over the asylum. The district council have gone over the top with their waste policy.

"These are the first bills they've received, nobody was warned and I don't understand why they have backdated the bills, or how a church's waste can be trade or commercial."

Louise Knox, a spokesman for West Wiltshire District Council, said: "Any non-domestic waste should be charged for, as it's not covered by business rates.

"People can appeal, as there has been a two year backlog and we can't just guess who can and can't afford to pay.

"We have had staffing issues and we admit it hasn't been operated well, but we are now trying to rectify this. Appeals must be put in writing to us."