Community groups and businesses have taken to the streets with brooms and bin bags in an attempt to clean up the city.

With rubbish now strewn across much of Brighton and Hove, the volunteers have been out clearing roads and communal spaces.

However union leaders have condemned the efforts accusing them of “strike breaking” and undermining” their position.

It comes as:

  1. Talks broke down again last night after a marathon meeting between council and union leaders.
  2. Pressure mounts on council leader Jason Kitcat to resign with 46 members of his own party signing an open letter calling on him to go.
  3. Police investigate reports of people taking cash to clear rubbish before dumping elsewhere in the city.
  4. Firefighters warn of the dangers of overflowing bins following two arsons yesterday.

 

Cityclean workers will today start their fifth day of consecutive strike action over planned changes to their allowance system.

The proposals, they argue, will see some of their employees lose up to £4,000 a year.

Rubbish has built up across the city with reports of used nappies, condoms and tampons littering residential streets.

Reports yesterday of rats in and around communal bins also began to surface.

A number of businesses and community groups took it upon themselves to organise mass litter picks.

Sean Goodale, from Asda at the Marina, has arranged for members of staff to help the community clear rubbish on Wednesday.

He said: “We want to help out where we can and restore the city to looking clean and tidy again.”

Meanwhile workers at Palace Pier, the Sealife Centre and the Theatre Royal were out clearing rubbish around their premises yesterday.

But a manger at Brighton’s Grand Central Pub, who set up a Facebook group over the weekend to organise a community clear up today, was forced to drop his idea.

After being accused of being a “scab” and “strike breaking”, he decided to cancel it.

Speaking on Twitter, the bar worker, said: “I was just trying to do a good deed. Sorry to all those I inadvertently upset.

“Still a bit gobsmacked about the whole thing kicking off like that. I was actually just trying to be nice.”

The Argus:

Communal bins in Washington Street on day one of the strike (above) and day four (below)

The Argus:

In a statement posted online, union leaders said they were “overwhelmed” by supporters wanting to organise clearups but added that it “undermined” their position.

They added: “We wholly recognise that Brighton is not a pleasant place to be at the moment, and we apologise to all residents for the state of our city and for the inconvenience caused to you by this disruption.

“However, please remember that we are residents here too, and we also would like to live in a clean city and return to doing our work as soon as possible to make this the case.”Strike action, they described, was a “last resort” to mount pressure on their employers.

They added: “Any attempts to lessen the impact of a strike completely undermines our action.

“Also, refuse collection and street cleaning can be a dirty and dangerous job. We certainly do not want any residents to be injured by carrying out our work for free.”

Meanwhile a mock letter has been circulated calling on angry residents to dump their rubbish at the houses of senior Green Party councillors.

The email, which was forwarded to The Argus, lists the home addresses of council leader Jason Kitcat along with that of deputy leaders Ian Davey and Phelim MacCafferty and environment chairman Ian Davey.

It reads: “Firstly we would like to offer our unreserved apologies to the people of Brighton and Hove for the total failure of the Green administration.

Having not expected to win the local election we had no plan to run the city and have had to fall back on, well, nothing. By way of recompense the following councillors have offered to store your household waste until the strike is over.”

It comes as city firefighters issued a warning to residents over disposing of cigarettes following three separate blazes yesterday afternoon.

The crew at Preston Circus Station was called out shortly before 12.30pm to a bin fire in Ann Street, Brighton.

They attended two further blazes in the afternoon in Queen’s Road at 1.41pm and West Street at 15.28pm.

An East Sussex Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “It looks like they have been started by people disposing of their cigarette in the top section of the bins. With the current bin strike we would urge residents to take care when getting rid of their cigarettes.

“Fortunately the three incidents were not serious but they could have been."

The Argus:

Communal bin in Brunswick Place on day one (above) and day four (below)

The Argus:

A Sussex Police spokeswoman added two of the three fires were being investigated as arson.

The force also issued a warning yesterday after reports people were offering to collect rubbish before dumping it elsewhere in the city.

Chief Inspector Bruce Mathews said on Twitter: “Just heard some are offering to remove rubbish for a fee and then dumping it elsewhere in the city. Be aware.”

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “If someone comes to your door offering to take away waste and recycling for a fee, they must have a waste carriers license from the Environment Agency and you should check that they are taking it to a disposal facility with an Environment Agency licence.

“If they do not there is a risk that the waste could be fly-tipped and you could be legally held responsible.

“Private waste contractors are not allowed to use our household waste recycling centres.”

Brighton & Hove city council Chief Executive Penny Thompson said; “We have been in talks today and I hope to continue discussion tomorrow.

“I really appreciate the constructive approach of GMB and we will work hard tomorrow to work towards a settlement and bring the strike to an end.

“I know the mess and rubbish is building up across the city and I’m truly sorry we are in this situation.

“I would like to reassure residents we are doing all we can to swiftly find an agreed resolution.

“It is vital that we have an allowances system which is fair and consistent for staff across the council.”