A crisis has been prompted by the ongoing bin strike in Birmingham, resulting in Birmingham City Council declaring a major incident due to the mounting rubbish problem. The streets are now burdened with a total of 17,000 tonnes of waste, sparking concerns about public health and leading to the issue being addressed in Parliament. In response to this critical situation, Council leader John Cotton has taken action to ramp up street cleaning and fly-tipping removal operations, deploying an additional 35 vehicles and crews across the city.
The strike, initiated by members of Unite on 11th March over pay disputes that could leave some workers £8,000 worse off, has further intensified the waste crisis. This ongoing issue has now garnered attention at the House of Commons, prompting the government to closely monitor the situation. Mr. Cotton cited picketing staff as a major obstacle hindering waste clearance efforts, noting that their actions at depots were impeding vehicle movements.
Despite expressing regret at the necessity of declaring a major incident, Mr. Cotton emphasized the council’s obligation to address the harm and distress caused to communities across Birmingham. While acknowledging the right to strike and protest, he highlighted the imperative for lawful conduct on picket lines to mitigate detrimental impacts on residents and the environment. Failure to implement the council’s contingency plan and declare a major incident would impede efforts to clear the backlog of waste on the streets and improve waste collection frequency
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More