British Army called in to help with Birmingham bin strike over 'public health risk'

Specialists from the military have beenmounting piles of rubbish Birmingham amid a bin strike. The all-out strike, which began on March 11 as part of a dispute over pay, has seen thousands of tonnes of rubbish go uncollected and warnings of a public health emergency.

A Government spokesperson said the decision to call in military planners was "in light of the ". The spokesperson said the deployment would consist of a "small number of office-based military personnel with operation planning expertise". Birmingham City Council had already

The military officers are not being deployed to collect rubbish. The move will see a small number of planners assigned to provide temporary logistical support for a short period.

READ MORE:

A Government spokesperson said: “The Government has already provided a number of staff to support the council with logistics and make sure the response on the ground is swift to address the associated public health risks. In light of the ongoing public health risk, a small number of office-based military personnel with operational planning expertise have been made available to Birmingham City Council to further support in this area. This builds on a range of measures we’ve supported the council on to date – including neighbouring authorities providing additional vehicles and crews, and opening household waste centres to Birmingham residents.”

Refuse workers in the Unite union walked out on March 11. This has led to siginificant public health concerns as rubbish piled up on the second city's streets. Last week, deputy prime minister urged members of the Unite union to accept an “improved” deal while health secretary Wes Streeting said the strike had “escalated way out of hand”.

The dispute has further strained relations between Labour and Unite, with the union’s general secretary Sharon Graham speaking out against “the constant attacks and briefings against these low-paid bin workers”. She said: “It is important to reiterate the truth, as opposed to the lies being peddled in an attempt to distract. This dispute is not about greed or increased pay. This dispute is about workers losing up to £8,000 of their pay – which for some is almost a quarter.”

The council says only 17 workers will be affected, and they stand to lose much less than Unite has claimed. Ms Graham added that a partial deal on pay protection for some workers had already been agreed and urged the council to accept a wider offer the union had put forward. A further ballot on a deal to end the strike is expected to take place on Monday.

Ms Rayner, who is also the secretary for housing, communities and local government, said: "The people of Birmingham are our first priority – this dispute is causing misery and disruption to residents and the backlog must be dealt with quickly to address public health risks. My department is working with Birmingham City Council to support its response to accelerate clearing the backlog and rapidly improve the situation on the ground.

A recent poll found that over half of voters want the Government to step in and clear up Birmingham's streets. Of voters who were polled nationally, 57 percent said the Government should intervene. That figure was 67 percent in the West Midlands.

A major incident was declared by the council, but piles of uncollected rubbish remain festering. Locals have reported seeing giant rats the size of cats in the waste.

Most of those polled but the the blame at the feet of the council, followed by the Government and then Unite union. A total of 63 percent, however, also said they did not want bin collections to be privatised.

Martin Baxter, CEO of Electoral Calculus, said: "The ongoing bin strike in Birmingham has clearly struck a nerve across the West Midlands, with more residents opposed to the strike than supportive of it. Remarkably, voters both in the West Midlands and nationally think the government should step in to clear up Birmingham's streets. While probably didn't dream of becoming the nation's chief bin collector, the public's appetite for government intervention might force that role upon him."

The council has also come under fire after it emerged that city council managing director Joanne Roney jetted off to the French Riviera the week the strike began. This was described as a "planned work trip" by the council.

Ms Roney, who started her position last September, went to Cannes for a speaking role with critics called "bad judgment". Ex-Tory leader told the Daily Mail: "It shows peculiarly bad judgment. It epitomises the whole way this council has been run, it's a shocking shambles."

A spokesperson for the council responded: "This was a planned work trip, and all of Joanne’s expenses, including flights and accommodation, have been funded by the private sector." It was also noted that Ms Roney attended one of the 's biggest real estate conferences, which is attended by city officials from all over the world. It is hoped her representation of the council can drum up developer interest in Birmingham.

City council leader John Cotton has also said: "I would reiterate we have made a fair and reasonable offer to our workers which means none of them have to lose any money and I would urge Unite to reconsider their position."

Residents have been bearing the brunt. People in the city say they have had to think outside the box amid the ongoing bin strike as getting a slot at a tip is like “winning a lottery”.

“We’re distributing it amongst family that live in other postcodes,” said Vanita Patel, a 47-year-old teacher, as residents said the crisis is leading them to take matters into their own hands.

She said the family also take their rubbish to her sister’s in Sandwell – a district to the west of Birmingham that is administered by a different council and therefore not affected by the strike. Ms Patel said the strike has also impacted on the school where she teaches. She said: “The rubbish not being collected has then prevented planting and growing of vegetables in the children’s garden this year due to the increase of rats.”

In other areas, communities are stepping in when they see people dumping rubbish on the streets. Javed Iqbal, a 55-year-old community activist, described one incident where rubbish had been set on fire outside his house in Alum Rock, two miles east of the city centre.

In a video being circulated on social media, flames and smoke can be seen emerging from a pile of black bags on the side of a residential road. He called it “disturbing” but said the community quickly came together to clean it up and it is only part of their response to the situation.

“We’ve set up groups like the street watch patrol. Guys to keep an eye out for elderly, disabled, women, mothers with a single parent, mothers who have got no access to vehicles – see how we can assist them to make their place safer,” Mr Iqbal, who is also part of the Alum Rock Community Forum, said. “What was heartening for me was to see the youngsters – 18 to 24.”