Union meets with council over understaffing in refuse service

The union, which represents refuse and recycling workers, is to meet senior managers at Brighton and Hove City Council today (Monday, August 21) to seek additional funding and staff for the service.

This follows complaints from residents about missed collections and rubbish piling up on streets.

Mark Turner, GMB branch secretary for Brighton and Hove, said: "We are meeting with the city council to will increase staffing levels.

"Three bin lorries every day have been sitting in the depot because of understaffing."Refuse and recycling workers have been used to staff the council’s new commercial and green waste venture, stopping bins being collected and streets being cleaned."The effect has been increased workloads for staff, as they pick up bins not collected and rubbish not swept the next day."GMB is calling for the city council to employ ten more staff so the service can run properly.

"Hopefully by the end of Monday we will come to a resolution, but the ball is in their court. If not then our members will decide our next steps."

Brighton and Hove City Council has been contacted for a comment.