SWINDON Council has been accused of an "insane" approach to security after leaving polling cards in a community centre.

Tony Stevens, secretary of the Park South Community Centre, Cranmore Avenue, arrived at the centre on Saturday morning to find a binbag full of polling cards left there since Thursday's election. He phoned the council and was told to throw them in the bin but did not think that was a secure way to deal with cards which contain people's name and address.

He says he will burn them rather than throw them away.

"It is insane," he said. "This is people's personal data. "I think it is absolutely terrible.

"When you sign up for the electoral register you can either tick a box to say you are happy for information to be used or you want it kept private. How will it be private if they just leave it lying about?"

Several different groups have access to the community centre where 1,408 people voted on Thursday.

Council spokeswoman Hellen Barnes said all presiding officers had written instructions to destroy any cards that were left at the polling station by ripping them up and putting them in the black rubbish sacks provided.

"We would have expected these instructions to be followed, however the names and addresses contained on the cards are publicly available on the electoral register," she added.