Rollout of Birmingham's fortnightly bin collections 'delayed' as bins strike chaos continues
The rollout of fortnightly bin collections has been 'delayed for now' as the bins strike continues to cause chaos across Birmingham.
The city council today, Monday, March 31, declared a major incident as the ongoing industrial action takes it toll on the city, leaving an estimated 17,000 tonnes of uncollected waste.
The strike, triggered by a dispute between the council and the Unite union over plans to scrap a certain role, has left residents having to endure huge piles of rubbish bags and rats in the street.
READ MORE: Birmingham Council pledges extra help with rubbish for tower block residents as major incident declared
But it has also meant the council's transformation of the waste service, which includes moving from weekly to fortnightly collections of household rubbish, will be pushed back.
Weekly food waste collections and a second recycling bin specifically for recycling paper and cardboard were also set to be introduced in phases across the city from April onwards.
"It is unfortunate the dispute means the changes we have planned for the city to transform waste services are delayed for now," council leader John Cotton said today, March 31.
"I am absolutely committed to transform this service."
He confirmed plans for fortnightly collections, food waste collections to reduce landfill, the new garden waste service and improved recycling were all on hold pending the end of the dispute.
The crisis-hit council previously described its transformation plans as a key part of its recovery plan and a way to both significantly reduce costs and improve reliability.
Earlier this month, Majid Mahmood, the council's cabinet member for environment, was asked whether there could be further financial issues along the line for the council amid such disruption.
"Obviously there would be a cost element if [the transformation] is delayed because that's in the budget itself," he said. 'But we are hoping we can resolve this dispute.
'I urge Unite to come round the table and talk to us - we're willing to work around the clock to resolve this.
'We can then, together, deliver the transformation of the waste service.'
'We want to increase our recycling,' Coun Mahmood said of the planned changes to waste collection. 'I don't want to be seen having the largest council in the country and we've only got a recycling rate of 22/23 per cent.
'We need to be in the Champions League, not the Vauxhall Conference.
'I am more determined now than ever before to deliver that transformation.'
Industrial action was launched over the council's plans to scrap the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role, described by Unite as "safety-critical".
'The council could end this dispute tomorrow by agreeing to pay a decent rate of pay,' Unite's national officer Onay Kasab has said previously.
READ MORE: Birmingham bin strike live as 'major incident' declared to combat 17,000 ton rubbish backlog
But the council's political leadership has insisted that a 'fair and reasonable offer' has been made.
'Not a single worker needs to lose a penny," Coun Mahmood said recently. 'Every worker has been offered the same grade and the same pay within the street scene division of the city council.'
The council added its routes and working practices were fully risk-assessed and health and safety was 'everyone's responsibility'.
External auditors recently highlighted numerous issues and missteps which contributed to the council's financial crisis, such as the equal pay debacle, inadequate budget setting, poor service management, demand led pressures and the disastrous implementation of a new IT system.
Labour councillors have also pointed to the impact of funding cuts over the past decade or so.
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