HOUSEHOLDERS are already flouting Swindon Council’s limit on green waste collections – with some leaving out more than 40 sacks instead of keeping to the new rule of four bags per home per fortnight.

The council brought in the measure on May 1 to prevent a repeat of last year, when contractor Swindon Commercial Services Ltd struggled to clear a week-long backlog that filled up its storage capacity at Waterside Park and an off-site storage facility.

The council said there had been a massive increase in the volume of garden waste collected last summer, due to ideal growing conditions and householders using the kerbside service rather than taking sacks to the Household Recycling Centre.

Those with more than four bags are encouraged to take the surplus to the centre, but Swindon Council revealed there have already been breaches. Leaflets are being delivered to these homes to explain the changes.

Coun Richard Hurley, cabinet member for public protection, housing and StreetSmart, said: “There are still a small minority of households leaving out excessive numbers of bags and in very exceptional cases, more than 40 sacks have been left out by single households for collection which illustrates exactly why we had to make changes.

“The other issue is around piles of bags put at the end of streets from multiple households. We are asking for people, wherever possible, to leave their bags outside their own properties at the nearest point to the pavement to minimise confusion.”

Terry Hunt, the chairman of the Rodbourne Cheney Residents’ Association, said he had abided by the rules but suggested the council should leaflet homes to inform residents of the change, as some were still unaware.

He said: “It’s just a little bit of bureaucracy gone mad trying to restrict people to four bags, whereas they should put on an extra lorry if they have got a bank holiday coming up. But I think 40 is just a little way over the top.”

Carol Brownlee, the events officer of the Swindon Walcot and Parks community group, said: “It’s a workable scheme as long as people observe the rules.”

Marilyn Beale, secretary of the Penhill Forum, said it was ridiculous if people would not be allowed to pile their bags communally at the end of the street to help the crews.