Residents warned over 'unauthorised' clothes bins

Residents are being warned not to use "unauthorised" clothes banks which have been "popping up" across a town.

Two of the bins were spotted in Swindon two weeks ago and there have been reports of more than 20 similar bins appearing across the area, according to local parish councillors.

Councillor Leigh Jackson, said: "They're all over Swindon - a Monster Recycling bin and a yellow bin with no writing on it. No one's given consent for them and they're potentially taking away from local charities."

A spokesman for Monster Recycling said: "We have never presented ourselves as a charity. We remain committed to operating transparently - and working constructively with all stakeholders."

Jackson said he first spotted the "suspicious clothing and footwear recycling bins" alongside two Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity banks at the Haydon Centre in Haydon Wick, last Friday.

"They didn't look right," he said.

"I spoke to the manager there and he said they'd just turned up and they had no permission to be there."

Since then, more than 20 similar banks have been spotted across Swindon and as far afield as Rodbourne, Stratton, Royal Wootton Bassett and Wroughton.

"They're popping up everywhere - and we're still getting messages coming in with more," said Jackson.

"They're not showing that they're a charity [but] where the landowner has not given consent we've taped them up."

He said both the companies had been contacted, raising concerns the banks had been placed without landowner permission and requesting they be removed.

"On Sunday night the bins started disappearing," he said.

"The Monster Recycling bins have been collected from the Haydon Centre and the Manor Farm Pub.

"That said, the job is not done yet. A second organisation is still involved, and we will continue pushing to ensure all unauthorised bins are removed."

In an email sent to parish councillors, Monster Recycling said it operates as a recycling business and "does not present itself as a charity, nor do [its] clothing banks claim to be linked to one".

"I do acknowledge the importance of ensuring that any placement of equipment is properly agreed with the appropriate party," a spokesman said.

"Where there is any uncertainty we are addressing this through our internal review process and direct engagement with relevant stakeholders."

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