Brighton and Hove City Council said that it would offer communities the chance to opt out of weedkiller treatments in February after reintroducing glyphosate after a five-year gap.
People in Harrington Villas, Brighton, had only just received their weeding equipment from the council when contractors were seen apply chemicals in their street.
Enough volunteers had signed up to enable the road, off Preston Drove, to apply to opt out on Tuesday 22 April.
But on Friday 30 May, workers were seen applying glyphosate – sold commercially as Roundup – to weeds on the street, much to the shock and disappointment of the street co-ordinator Jethro Carr.
Volunteers had been prepared to carry out collective weeding for the first time on Sunday 1 June.
Mr Carr said: “This contradicts the agreement made and the commitments outlined in your previous correspondence, not to mention the health and environmental concerns many residents have about this chemical.
“Worryingly, we only spotted the workers spraying by chance.
“Had we not seen them, we would have unknowingly gone ahead with our hand-weeding session on Sunday — potentially exposing ourselves to the glyphosate-treated plants without any warning.
“This could have resulted in residents becoming unwell, particularly those with children, pets or health sensitivities.
“The spraying has not only undermined the efforts and goodwill of local volunteers but has also created a serious safety concern.
“I am now obliged to warn neighbours not to touch the affected areas until the chemicals have broken down.”
Residents in Warleigh Road, Brighton, had the same surprise last month.
Green councillor Kerry Pickett, who represents Preston Park ward, has asked the council for a list of roads that have opted out.
She said that two other streets in the ward, where residents did not want to be identified, have also had glyphosate treatment.
Councillor Pickett said: “Residents are more than angry and really upset that this toxic chemical has been sprayed along their road.
“This clearly shows that the whole opt-out set up isn’t working. The contractors don’t seem to know what is going on, such as what roads are included in the opt-out and what aren’t.
“The use of this toxic herbicide means a lot to many of this city’s residents. Many have taken time to speak to neighbours, agree an opt-out and filled out the required forms.
“To then find out that the street has been sprayed anyway doesn’t give residents much faith in how the council works.”
There was also outcry in Hollingdean when contractors were seen treating weeds in the area on Friday 30 May along various roads where the residents’ association thought were opted out through Growing Hollingdean.
However, the Growing Hollingdean group said that only two streets had formally opted out.
Labour councillor Theresa Fowler, who represents Hollingdean and Fiveways ward, said: “If people have not opted out, they can just weed outside their homes and then the weeds won’t be treated.
“We have asked the contractors not to treat flowers in bloom.”
Before the council secured cross-party support to stop using glyphosate in 2019, workers used to spray the weedkiller along pavements from the back of quadbikes.
The new regime introduced last year involves suspending the chemical in oil and applying it directly to pavement weeds in a method that is less indiscriminate.
Brighton and Hove City Council was approached for comment.
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