Get all the latest politics news Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The piles of rubbish strewn around Birmingham have grown further as the dispute between the council and binmen rages on.

Our photographer has snapped overflowing wheelie bins, bin bags and worse as waste strewn across the city continues to fester.

Images show rotting waste piled high in Sparkhill, Sparkbrook, Moseley and Acocks Green, with readers telling the Mail they have seen rats and maggots.

A clean up operation began this weekend, as 52 lorry crews were drafted in, but many residents remain fuming.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “The council is operating in difficult times. We are focused on providing reliable, effective refuse collection for citizens and we want to work with trades unions to do that.

"If that means taking difficult decisions the council will do so, even where at times it means difficult industrial relations which we are actively trying to resolve."

What is the council doing about it?

A clean up began this weekend.

A 120 strong taskforce which were agency staff and possibly management and contractors, took to the streets to start clearing up after three weeks of industrial action by the city’s binmen.

Thirty lorry crews worked on Saturday, and a further 22 were out on Sunday - and clearing the flimsy black bags, which are easily ripped spilling rubbish over the streets, were a priority.

What is the strike over?

The dispute over changes to working practices and the downgrading of supervisor jobs has now entered its third week with no sign of a resolution in sight.

And the trade union Unite has accused the Labour run council of ‘playing games’ and being set on conflict rather than genuine negotiation. It says that redundancy notices were sent to staff, mainly the 133 leading hands, while talks are ongoing sparking fury among the members.

The extension of strike action means further misery for thousands of residents who have already seen overflowing wheelie bins left uncollected, or picked up days late, for weeks.

Our local government correspondent says...

Local Government Correspondent for the Mail Neil Elkes has written the following about the dispute.

"The council is so reluctant to spend on the strike they have refused overtime payments and more agency staff to break the strike.

"The striking staff are also working to rule which is proving just as disruptive, if not more so, than the limited two-hour walk outs.

"On the other hand staff claim that the loss of that tier of supervisors could impact on safety as well as hit their pay as the jobs are downgraded.

"Many have also had a share of that £8.4 million overtime cash - so their very living standards are at risk.

"With such entrenched positions it seems highly unlikely that there can be a deal in which both sides achieve their aims.

"Only a major compromise or a cave in by either side will do it.

"Which suggests this dispute could run and run."