Storm blows up over leaf fines

Chad readers have reacted angrily to council warnings that they could face a fine if they are caught sweeping leaves from their gardens onto public roads.

The warning has been issued by Mansfield District Council as it gears up for its annual battle with falling leaves, in a bid to prevent pavements from becoming slippery.

It is an offence for people to sweep leaves from their property onto the highway and anyone caught could receive a £75 fine, a spokesman told Chad.

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Coun Philip Shields, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “Mansfield district has a good number of trees and while this helps to make the district a pleasant place to live and work, autumn remains a logistically very challenging season for our street cleansing staff.

Residents can dispose of garden waste through the council’s brown bin scheme or can take their green garden waste to the recycling centres in Mansfield and Warsop.

Reduced-price compost bins can also be purchased via the authority.

But Chad readers have criticised the council - with some calling for free brown bins, while others say it is council-owned trees that cause the problems.

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Reader Tina Stead said: “The fines aren’t fair because on our street it is the council’s trees that are creating the leaves - they should pay us for sweeping their leaves up.”

Yvonne Brazier added: “The biggest tree in Church Warsop is next door, and last year we had 30 black bags that we had to take to the dump but they won’t even trim it.”

Lindsey Walker said the council should stop charging for brown bins.