Hove streets overflow with 'disgusting' rubbish

The area around Hove Town Hall was left with rubbish piled on top of bins for days. Litter was still strewn on the floor after bin lorries came to pick up the festering rubbish on Monday.

It comes after Brighton and Hove City Council said bin lorries were being tampered with which it said led to missed collections.

Robin Newbold, who lives in Tisbury Road, Hove, said there have been problems ever since he moved in more than two years ago.

Rubbish left in Tisbury Road after lorries emptied bins (Image: The Argus)

He said: “It’s a recurring problem. I think when Labour got in it improved for a little while but it has gone back to how it was before.

“It’s not just the rubbish they don’t pick up, the streets seem to be covered in rubbish.

“They keep the seafront pristine which is great but residents living in these streets are paying the council tax and the streets are filthy. 

“It’s disgusting, they’re putting up the council tax by five per cent but what are we getting out of it? They are not doing their jobs.

An overflowing bin in Seafield Road on Monday (Image: The Argus)

“They leave c**p all over the place. I always pick up stuff outside my flat and around, residue is always left outside after they do collect rubbish.

“Other cities deal with it far better than here. It is a shame as it is such a nice place to live but it is also such a problem.

“Labour said it was one of its top priorities but I think it has gone back to how it was. They need to sort themselves out to be honest.”

The lorry doing its rounds on Monday (Image: The Argus)

The Argus contacted the council about the issue on Monday. Robin said the rubbish in Tisbury Road was not collected since last Tuesday, March 5.

A bin lorry started clearing overflowing bins around 12pm in Tisbury Road, Eaton Road, Hove Villas and St Aubyns.

There were overflowing bins in Medina Villas, Osborne Villas, Seafield Road and Cromwell Road.

The council blamed missed collections on the wires being cut on two of its bin lorries.

Wires have been cut on Cityclean lorries which the council said has led to missed collections (Image: BHCC)

Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove, said he was proud of the council’s efforts of “rooting out the problems at Cityclean” and said there needs to be a “final push” to make it fit for purpose and improve services for residents.

Last November an independent report revealed a "toxic" culture at Cityclean's Hollingdean depot in Brighton. 

The 17-page report, by King’s Counsel Aileen McColgan, was called for by council leader Bella Sankey after whistleblowers came forward alleging sex discrimination, racial harassment and other abuses.

Rubbish on the floor in Eaton Road (Image: The Argus)

The report heard from 70 witnesses from all levels within the refuse service over three months.

It detailed 13 problems at the bin depot which was described as being like "Animal Farm".

Workers previously went on strike in October 2021 for more than two weeks which left rubbish piling up on the city's streets.