The threat of strike action is on hold after union leaders agreed to go back to the negotiating table with the council in a bid to resolve the ongoing bins dispute.

The GMB union and Brighton and Hove City Council representatives will meet on April 23 to try and bring an end to the dispute which last summer saw the city’s streets piled with rubbish.

Strike action is off the table for now – but has not been ruled out if there is no progress in talks.

GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said the union had received an encouraging letter from the council which led to an agreement to return to the negotiations.

He said: “There is some movement from the council which is encouraging.

“But there are still some outstanding potentially serious issues which we felt warranted meeting to discuss.

“Our position is that if we can’t move the situation forward then we will consult members on the next stage which will no doubt result in an intention to ballot.

“In the short term there won’t be any threat of industrial and we won’t be writing to the council about an intention to ballot. The earliest we would consider action would be after the 23rd.”