The very suggestion of Southend Council putting bins all around the town to stop smokers dropping their dog-ends outside pubs and clubs (April 3), would be a complete and utter waste of money.

I am afraid smokers and people who chew gum would ignore them.

They are too lazy to walkeven a few paces to use a bin.

At least you can, on the whole, clear up after smokers, but chewing gum is another matter.

A fortune has been spent on rejuvenating Southend High Street.

This is a complete waste of time and money as there must be about a million dabs of chewing gum around the streets of the town.

I think there should be a hundred per cent additional tax placed on a packet of gum.

This should be put in a separate bank account throughout the UK to help pay for clearing up this eyesore.

Getting back to extra bins for cigarette ends - my best advice would be to forget it.

Henry McGill
Barnstaple Road
Thorpe Bay