Lewes is a law unto itself. They do as they please round there. Absolutely lovely town, plenty of great boozers just the council would like to turn it into one of those places where you have to be approved by a local committee to move in. "It's all for the greater good"......
Before the big bins arrived in Brighton I used to nick the pink council bags from round the back of the shops on the Dials. Great days, they don't come back.
Well, no, rhubarb leaves are toxic. Younger folk would probably just get a serious dose of the Eartha's, older folk might be hospitalised. I'd poke them through the neighbours letterbox personally.
Even if I did believe you , which I do not, you'll normally find its the younger generation that get wound up over these matters, the older generation tend to shrug their shoulders and carry on. If what happens to your Mother's rhubarb leaves vexes you so terribly, take them to the tip for her...