HUNDREDS of residents were left baffled this week after the council sent out two conflicting rubbish collection date-change leaflets to homes.

The circular was aimed to advise residents of new collection dates for the looming �3.4m scheme which will see Welwyn Hatfield residents have three wheelie bins.

However, an administrative error by the borough council saw some households told one correct date and another incorrect one.

Keith Lindsey, of Sheepcote, WGC, marched to the council offices searching for an answer after being sent two cards.

He said he was told 285 roads across the borough had received the wrong card – a claim denied by a council spokesman, who said only certain homes in 75 streets. received the wrong information.

Mr Lindsey told the WHT: “It’s crazy. It was completely baffling we receive one card saying Thursday and then another saying Friday and we didn’t have a clue as to when our rubbish was being picked up.

“This is not a good start to the new scheme.”

After finding out the correct date, Mr Lindsey knocked on his neighbours’ doors to pass the information on.

“The council was advising people to go online to check, but a lot of people don’t have the access to a computer so what do they do?” he added. “It makes you wonder how much money was wasted on the extra deliveries.”

The new fortnightly collection scheme will see all households have three bins – one for waste, one for dry recyclables and their existing brown bin for green, cardboard and food waste.

A council spokesman said the confusion centred on Woolmer Green, Digswell and Howlands in WGC.

He apologised for the “regrettable mistake”. He said: “With a project of this scale and nature, there was always the chance for an administrative error.

“We are sorry for any confusion caused.

“To put this into perspective, we have sent out over 47,000 leaflets and therefore this affects a very small proportion of homes.”

People in Woolmer Green and Digswell will receive rubbish, recycling and compost collections on a Monday, and Howlands on a Thursday.

For more information call 01707 357000.