the council just replaced 100 yards of fence at the end of my road,
the tatty but usable old panels are laying on the grass in a
heap.......

Now probably classed as "waste" and only allowed to go to a licensed
disposal point for which the council will have to pay to dump them. A
neighbour of mine asked the council if he could have the old (mostly broken)
paving slabs they were lifting from the pavement in front of his house.
Answer. Only if you can show us a license for their disposal.
So no crazy paving for our John, or anyone else for that matter.

Mike