Brighton and Hove braces itself for another week of bin strikes as rubbish piles up

Despite a marathon eight hour negotiation session yesterday, talks between the council and GMB union broke down.

Cityclean employees will return to work on Friday and work the weekend before the new wave of action begins on Monday.

Mark Turner, GMB branch secretary for Hove, said staff would be working to rule and focus their efforts on local businesses and seafront traders in an attempt to reduce any potential loss of trade.

He added that only street litter collectors would return on Monday with all other workers on strike for a further five days - but it was unclear why there was a split between the strikers as The Argus went to press last night.

Mr Turner said: “We have got absolutely nowhere with negotiations.

“It's ridiculous that they have said the talks have been 'fruitful'. They haven't been, it has been one way traffic.

“We put a number of proposals forward but had nothing back.

“It has been a waste of time.

“We are not going to be part of their PR stunt.”

Meanwhile council chief executive Penny Thompson, who has been in the talks with her negotiating team, praised the union for their “constructive approach”.

She added: "We are working hard with our unions to find an agreed settlement on a fair, consistent and affordable allowances system for staff across the council.

“On Monday we were given seven days notice of further action by refuse lorry drivers and we will do everything we can to stop this happening.

“In the meantime this is also my home and I am all too aware of the rubbish and mess building up.

“I am truly sorry we are in this situation and would like to reassure residents that we are doing all we can to swiftly find a resolution.”

Rubbish continues to build up across the city with reports of homeless people taking it upon themselves to clean the streets.

Resident Angela Cowling, spotted the group cleaning on Western Road.

She said: “I, for one among several while we were waiting at a bus stop, gave money to the cleaning group and I will pay them every time I see them in Brighton.”

A nearby shop worker, who asked not to be named, added: “It's been really heart warming to see. They were saying that they need to sleep in the streets and they want them to be clean.

“They're using the bin bags and going up and down the street picking up litter. After a bit people have started to give them money.

“But they've been going up and down all day and I think it's fantastic.”

• See the impact of the strike with our interactive bins map

At the time of going to print the council and union leaders were back in negotiation talks. However Mr Turner said any breakthrough was “unlikely”.

He added: “They have not changed their position since the start of this action.

“We are not being part of their charade. We want to see a sensible offer.”

More than 100 Green Party members and activists have signed an open letter calling on Jason Kitcat to resign.

Meanwhile there was no word from the council leader or Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas.

The only Green MP has pledged her support for Cityclean workers and opposed any deal which sees “cuts to take-home pay”.

However, she has stopped short of calling for councillor Kitcat to go.

The Argus has requested to speak to Dr Lucas MP for the last two days but she has been “unavailable”.

Meanwhile, national Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, said that blame for the situation was with “successive Labour and Tory administrations” who failed to deal with the issue of unequal allowances.

She added that she has “full faith” in the city's Green Party to resolve the situation.

Addressing the calls for council leader Jason Kitcat to stand down, she said: “While I don't agree with the handful of members who've signed this letter, we are a democratic, grown-up party, which means we understand that people with passionate beliefs and desire for change will disagree sometimes.”The letter concludes: “Jason, you do not speak for the Green Party - neither in Brighton nor in the country as a whole.

“Your determination not to admit that you are wrong and your refusal to accept the democratically decided policy of your own local party are bringing the Green Party into disrepute everywhere.

“Unless you are prepared - even at this late moment - to change course, we believe the best thing that you can do for our Party is to resign.”

Next week will see a plague of rats storm the city, a pest control expert has warned.

There have been reports of foxes, vermin and seagulls tearing through city bins this week.

However, Ky Mossman, from Terminate Pest Control, told The Argus that worse could be to come over the next few days.

He explained that rats suffer from neophobia which means they are wary of new experiences and environments.

He said: “I've seen a bit of an increase in calls this week but nothing huge.

“I'm expecting more next week.

“Unlike foxes, mice and gulls - which dive straight in - rats are crafty and will take time to suss out their surroundings.

“We are likely to see more of them next week.

“That's why it is difficult to catch rats in traps.

“Mice are very inquisitive and will go straight for the bait. However, rats are much more wary, they have a better survival instinct.”

The city pest expert said that he had seen an increase of a third in call outs with the council's in-house pest control overrun.

He added: “With the bin strike continuing they have easy access to a plentiful supply of food. “It's not just the rats though, there will be more foxes, flies and also mice around.”

Brighton and Hove City Council currently has a mish-mash system of allowances and expenses.

To ensure it avoids any costly employment legal action over equal pay, the local authority said it must address the issue now.

They claim that 90% of those affected in its 8,000-strong workforce will be better off or receive roughly the same amount but union representatives claim Cityclean staff could lose up to £4,000 a year.

For those who will lose out, individual compensation packages, reportedly of up to £15,000, will be available.

The local authority claims if the changes are not made it could lead to High Court pay claims and a potential bill to the taxpayer of tens of millions of pounds.