A HOUSEHOLDER has accused his local council of “barmy bureaucracy” after he was told he had put his bin bags out too early.Kane Warden said he thought he was the victim of a wind-up when he received the ticking off from Colchester Borough Council following a “visual audit” of the area he lives.

A HOUSEHOLDER has accused his local council of “barmy bureaucracy” after he was told he had put his bin bags out too early.

Kane Warden said he thought he was the victim of a wind-up when he received the ticking off from Colchester Borough Council following a “visual audit” of the area he lives.

The technical support worker from Greenstead Road has his rubbish collected on Tuesdays so placed his black bins bags out at about 5pm on a Monday.

But the letter from the council's street care team told Mr Warden when bags are put out too early they could be damaged by animals and vermin, causing the rubbish to “fall out and become unsightly”.

But Mr Warden, 25, hit out at the reprimand, saying the whole exercise was a waste of taxpayers' money.

He said: “It's absolutely stupid - I put the rubbish out just as it was getting dark so there was no way that it would start to fester as it was cold.

“I would not have wanted to be putting it out early in the morning as I have no time before work and would not want to make my suit dirty.

“When this letter came through the door I was pretty annoyed. How much did this cost to do? Was it really worth it? It is not as though the bags were in the middle of the pavement where they could be blocking people's way of getting by. It looks like another case of barmy bureaucracy to me.”

The letter stated: “We look forward to seeing waste presented correctly in the future and thank you for your co-operation in this matter.”

Last night, Christopher Arnold, the councillor in charge of street services, invited Mr Warden to speak to him if he had any concerns.

He said: “I have two obligations - one is to ensure that the rubbish is collected and the second is to make sure that the rubbish is not causing an obstruction.

“I am currently in correspondence with one group of residents who are incensed about rubbish being put out too early where they live.”

He said the council could fine residents for such offences, although said those powers had not yet been used.

Dave McManus, Colchester's street care and recycling manager, said the letter may not have been aimed specifically at Mr Warden but could be part of a blanket drop in the area.

“To receive a letter the rubbish would normally have to be put out exceptionally early,” he said.

james.hore@eadt.co.uk