I only wish I could be surprised at your photos of overflowing dog waste bins (Left in dismay over dog waste bins, March 7). 

Unfortunately, it is all too frequent a sight as I walk around the area of south Wimbledon that I represent.  Dog fouling is an issue of increasing concern to residents I talk to in Abbey ward and, under this Labour council, the problem is getting worse. 

Perpetrators can quite rightly be issued with an £80 fine, so Labour could take action if they wanted to.  Yet, worryingly, when I asked about this at a recent council meeting, the cabinet member had to admit they had only issued one fine in the whole of 2012.

Worse still, despite confirming there had been an increase in dog fouling reports, he just blamed it on the time of year and said it was a difficult matter to enforce.

This attitude is all too typical of Merton’s Labour council when it comes to keeping our streets and parks clean.  Funny, though, how they have no problem enforcing the most minor of parking contraventions.  

Coun Henry Nelless

Deputy leader  Merton Conservative group