Birmingham City Council’s ruling Labour group is under intense scrutiny after announcing that it remains unable to reinstate the garden waste collection service, suspended since last spring due to an ongoing bins strike. Despite subscribers having already paid for the seasonal service, collections have not resumed, resulting in reimbursements and an estimated loss of £4.4 million in income for the council.
As the strike drags into its second year, the Labour-led council confirmed last week that garden waste collections cannot be reintroduced at this time. This has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and residents alike.
Conservative councillor Tim Huxtable, shadow cabinet member for environment, condemned the council’s handling of the situation, describing it as “the latest in a long line of failures.” He stated, “Labour’s incompetence means Birmingham residents are being let down yet again. Garden waste collections should be gearing up now for the spring rush, with orders open and schedules confirmed. But under Labour, the service remains in limbo because they can’t even resolve a strike or deliver basic collections.” With local elections approaching in May, Huxtable called for Labour to be replaced, vowing the Conservatives would prioritize reliable waste and recycling services.
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Residents have voiced their frustration on social media, with Michelle Callaghan lamenting, “Absolute disgrace. Had a full bin of recycling sat on my drive for a year!” Konrad Leon added, “They have made our once great city into a laughing stock.” Another echoed these sentiments by demanding a swift resolution to the ongoing crisis.
In response, Coun Majid Mahmood, Labour cabinet member for environment, acknowledged the inconvenience caused: “We are as frustrated as residents that they have been without this service for a year. Unfortunately, we are unable to reintroduce the garden waste service at the moment, but it remains a priority.” Mahmood emphasized that the council is actively working on a waste service transformation scheduled to commence in June, which aims to improve collection schedules and reintroduce recycling services regardless of whether the strike continues.
The transformation plan includes switching collections from weekly to fortnightly, resuming recycling collections, introducing weekly food waste bins, and adding a second recycling bin specifically for paper and cardboard. He encouraged residents to consider composting or using one of the city’s five household recycling centers while the garden waste service remains suspended.
The strike itself was triggered by the removal of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role. Disputes over pay cuts—strikers claim an £8,000 reduction while the council disputes this—have prevented negotiations from resolving the conflict. Despite ongoing talks, a breakthrough has yet to be achieved, prolonging the disruption for Birmingham’s residents.