ONCE again "New" Labour has not only gone soft on crime, but it's taking its usual route of putting the blame on innocent, law abiding citizens instead.

Instead of catching criminals who dump illegally, it has now put the onus on householders instead.

From November last year we are held responsible for somebody elses's actions. We now have to check that whoever takes waste away from our property disposes of it properly. What are we supposed to do? Hire private detectives? This is so typical of Tony Blair's government. Why expend time, money and effort catching criminals when it's so much easier and more profitable to target innocent, law abiding citizens?

We are nice and easy to find and, because we have collateral, we usually pay up.

The fine is an astonishing £5,000. Am I the only person to be completely and utterly disgusted by this?

Chris Burmajster, Andrew Way, Marlow Bottom