A recycling co-operative has accused a council of being heavy-handed and vicious after losing its job emptying bottle, can and paper banks.

Brighton and Hove City Council axed Magpie Recycling, claiming there were problems with health and safety regulations and bins were not being emptied.

The council said bottles, cans and newspapers were being dumped on pavements because people arriving at recycling points were finding the containers full.

Magpie spokesman Rob Jones-Mantle said the operation to empty recycling bins now complied with relevant health and safety rules.

He blamed unreliable vehicles supplied by the authority for the majority of problems emptying the 200 bottle, can and paper banks.

He said: "To say it is all Magpie's fault is unfair.

"Parts of the council just do not want to work with us and that is resulting in this very heavy-handed and vicious approach."

The co-operative was told it was being axed the same day the council issued a press release saying streets and pavements were being strewn with rubbish from the recycling bins.

Mr Jones-Mantle said: "Our business and our jobs are now very definitely under threat."

Magpie is to lose its council-owned depot at Hollingdean as part of a massive shake-up of waste disposal and the co-op is in talks with the authority about a proposed rent increase at its Lewes Road headquarters.

Environment councillor Gill Mitchell said the council had worked closely with Magpie to try to get improvements.

An in-house team will take over collections from September 1.

The Green Box door-to-door collection scheme, used by 5,000 homes and 1,000 businesses, is not affected.

Tuesday August 5, 2003