I wish to report the disgraceful behaviour of a Southampton City Council employee as witnessed by myself.

At approximately 8.30am on Wednesday, February 18, I saw a council refuse worker take a duvet and cardboard from the doorway of an empty shop on Above Bar.

This was then thrown into the back of his yellow refuse truck before he carried on.

Is this indicative of the council’s policy towards vulnerable, homeless, rough sleepers? Wait until they’ve gone to buy food and then throw away their property?

It’s bad enough that people in this apparently prosperous city have nowhere to live. To have the council remove their property – perhaps the only thing keeping them warm – is to add insult to injury.

It’s February! It’s immoral and most distressing to think that my democratically elected council might have approved this as a council policy.

I have written to the council and expect a response reassuring me that this employee will be disciplined and apologise to the victim of his actions.

JONATHAN BEAN, Southampton