THE council has apologised after rubbish at a set of new bins at a city park went uncollected for several months.

Conservative councillors Robert Nemeth and Garry Peltzer Dunn called for action after almost half a year of waste pilled up around bins in Wish Park.

Both councillors are said to have raised the issue with Brighton and Hove City Council several times with no action taken despite assurances the issue would be dealt with.

But the council have now confirmed that collections will be started as soon as possible.

Cllr Nemeth said: “The placement of recycling bins in a park is a welcome step towards starting the long task of trying to improve the city’s woeful recycling rates but not emptying them makes no sense at all.

“When the Greens and Labour supported recent strikes, the expectation of the public was that services would improve.

“Cllr Peltzer Dunn and I feel that leaving these bins behind unsightly tall fences for months on end is simply unacceptable when recycling rates are so poor.”

A spokesman for the council said: “We’re very sorry about the delay in starting collections from the new recycling bins in Wish Park.

“We had a change in staffing arrangements in our Cityclean team which led to some delays.

“We are looking to start the collections as soon as possible.”