A failing rubbish collection service is in turmoil after binmen staged a walkout and threatened strikes in the new year.

Dozens of staff were sent home yesterday after a two-hour sit-in at Brighton and Hove City Council’s Hollingdean depot.

Amid mounting tension, GMB union officials said it would be balloting its members on industrial action for the new year.

Binmen told The Argus they were frustrated they were not being listened to about problems with the new rounds, introduced in October, which had led to bags being left in the street sometimes for weeks at a time.

Yesterday, for the first time, GMB officials attacked the changes that have brought chaos to the city’s collections.

Mark Turner, branch secretary, said: “There is something fundamentally wrong with the new rounds.

“We are on a collision course with the council on this and something needs to be done.

“In some areas they have got it right but in other areas they haven’t, and we need to sit down and review that.”

But the council said the new rounds were “entirely workable”

and criticised the protests.

Only seven of the city’s 36 crews left the Hollingdean Lane headquarters at their 7am start time yesterday.

By 9am, 22 had gone back to work but 14 continued with the protest. After advice from the GMB that the action was illegal, the remaining staff agreed to start their rounds but were sent home without pay by Cityclean managers.

The council confirmed parts of the city had not received collections because of the dispute.

The controversial rounds were introduced to save money after the opening of a rubbish transfer station at Hollingdean.

The new facility means bin lorries do not need to drive rubbish to the landfill site at Beddingham, near Lewes, freeing up truck and staff time.

Up to 24 voluntary redundancies are expected as a result of this and new recycling rounds.

Yesterday, crews complained that collections were still up to two days late and planned changes to recycling rounds in February would add to the chaos.

Outside the depot, refuse collector Steve Wilson said: “We are being told we are not doing our jobs but it is other way round. If we are given realistic targets we will do our utmost to reach them.

“We are not the problem. It is the new rounds.” Colleague Runa Pradey said: “We do not want to let the residents down but the management are not listening.” A council spokesman said: “We are running a front-line service that residents rightly expect to be done properly and on time.

“No council would accept a situation where crews are choosing when to work. Refuse collection is a big issue in the city. Residents don’t like their service disrupted and this will be received very badly as we approach Christmas.

“There will be areas of the city without collections today. We’re asking residents to leave their bins and boxes out and we will collect them as soon as possible.

“If staff are not happy they can speak to the council directly or through their union.”

Gill Mitchell, leader of the Labour opposition group, said: “It is time the council got to grips with the situation.”