A Birmingham-based Bishop has said “enough is enough” on the city’s piles of uncollected waste.

Bin collections have been at a standstill since March, when the council failed to reach a resolution with workers, who had been striking over roles being “downgraded”. 

Some collectors were set to lose roles as safety officers, which they insist were essential in preventing risk to life. Those who lose their 'WRCO' status say they are also set to lose up to £8000 annually. 

Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo has come out in support of a protest planned for later this month, saying: “This is a moment for civic action, collective responsibility, and leadership."

"This situation can no longer be tolerated,” he told the BBC. "Waste collection is not an optional extra, it is a fundamental public service.”

"This is not the Birmingham we want. It is not the Birmingham our residents deserve, and it is certainly not the Birmingham we should be handing on to future generations,” he added.

The Council insists collections have improved, with an alleged 1753 tonnes of Christmas waste collected on 29th December. However, recycling has not been processed since February, with residents having to throw it in with general rubbish, or make personal trips to the tip. Many streets are lined with overflowing bin bags left uncollected outside doors. 

"We've been negotiating with Unite now for 12 months and we've made multiple offers, fair and reasonable offers to Unite, all of which have been rejected," said a council spokesperson.

Bishop Desmond said the situation is still intolerable, adding: “Workers deserve respect, residents deserve reliable services, and council taxpayers deserve value for money, transparency, and accountability."