Bureaucrats should not forget that the metamorphosis in recycling rates has largely been driven by citizens own motivation and goodwill, and by councils facilitation. Zero tolerance enforcement of petty and misdirected rules seems likely to destroy this goodwill, and could be counter productive.

Tom, London, UK

Tom Moncrieff's suggestion is actually much fairer than Plymouth Council's. The council's work is recorded and documented for public scrutiny; there is no risk of an outsider "sneaking in" extraneous measures. Householders, on the other hand, cannot know what strangers may have put in their bins.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

You did say it was a Conservative run council? Comes down to that old saying: Power corrupts. I'll bet they have some mealy mouthed excuse justifying their behaviour though.

Bill Q, Derby,

Pure politics - the tory council giving something else to Brown's decrepid government to worry about - expect more of this. It's Brown's own fault - in 11 years not a single coherent policy for transport, for defence, for the environment, for the future prosperity of the country; always reacting....

clive, surrey,

And I thought local authorities were there to serve the needs of the people, this is total petty bureaucracy gone mad!!! - for gods sake, fines for putting bins out to early!! etc.. whoever passed this as 'law' needs putting in the bin...

David Harrison, Grantham, Lincs

Could Plymouth Council please put forward the name of the one councillor to be tried, imprisoned and/or fined should any of their policies prove less than excellent or any one of their budgets overspent. That seems fair and they would obviously agree with the principle.

Tom Moncrieff, London , England

Yet another effort by the Hitlers of County Hall to extend their sphere of influence and make money to fund their ever increasing pension funds and freebies, whilst giving as little as possible back to the residents of the area.

Paul Downes, Milton Keynes, Bucks