Council bosses have banned Bradford's binmen from going home early - and told them their hours will be strictly checked by supervisors.

A long-standing agreement brought in before the days of wheelie bins allowed the crews to go home if they finished the job early.

But now shocked staff have been told the "task and finish" procedure set up at least 15 years ago will end on February 5.

In the past some crews say they have started in the early morning, worked through their breaks and been able to get home by early afternoon if they made the effort.

One worker said: "The letters are a bolt from the blue. The lads have worked really hard to get off home and all the work has been done properly. All the jobs have been finished and the job done well."

The letters say the decision to end the system was taken at a joint meeting with unions.

But Terry Patten, secretary of the Bradford GMB branch, said he knew nothing about it.

"I want to talk to the management. It was a long-running system and I am concerned about this."

The confidential letter to the workers says the system has "infiltrated into other areas of working where it was never intended."

It adds: "Outside agencies have expressed concern that management needs to address the matter about whether this can be justified."

It warns that all daily work sheets will be examined to make sure correct details have been given. The letter also warns that no supervisor will sign a daily work return where the finishing time is incorrect.

Bradford Council's assistant chief executive, David Kennedy, said: "We have discovered some employees have been abusing the system by logging in more hours than they had actually worked. We have now taken firm action to stop this happening again.

"Before wheeled bins were introduced, refuse collectors could finish for the day when the task was completed, but this no longer applies.

"Operators working wheeled bin vehicles are on different terms and conditions from those that previously applied."

The crews have been told the management will meet them over the next four weeks to discuss the new ruling.