Bin collections are "in chaos" since decisions were made to cut five rounds from the service.

Brighton and Hove City Council claimed the cost-cutting move would lead to a better service with collections on bank holidays.

Mark Turner, branch secretary of Brighton and Hove GMB, which represents Cityclean staff, said: “It’s absolute mayhem out there.”

Mr Turner said there were currently more staff out on rounds than before the cuts.

Additional crews have also been employed to pick up the backlog.

Mr Turner added: "It’s not working.

“If they were to take away these extra workers then it would be even worse.

“The only way it can work is if they reorganise the rounds again and that will lead to more prob- lems, especially as they near December with the Christmas collections.”

However Geoff Raw, executive director of Cityclean, said the service was being very closely monitored and the Cityclean team would “react swiftly to any problems”.

Mr Raw said: “We know there are likely to be some bedding-in issues.

"While the round changes are bedding in we are deploying from time to time additional crews to pick up missed collections. This is usually on the next working day.

“We are continuing to work with crews and review their performance and any problems they may be encountering.

“We need to allow two more weeks of refuse and recycling collections to be sure residents understand collection days and we have ironed out operational problems for crews.

“After this we will start to tweak and modify the collections to make sure we have a balanced service.”

But many residents remain frustrated with the council for the ongoing problems.

Tina Merry, 46, of Ashington Court, Cooksbridge Road, has not had the communal bin she shares with nine other flats collected for three weeks.

Ms Merry said: “I have rung the council and they said it’s down to Cityclean.

“It stinks and now people are sticking mattresses there and using it as a tip.”

In Woodingdean, Rudyard Road has not had its recycling collected for five weeks.

Residents are becoming so fed up with the situation one is threatening to stop recycling.

One tenant, who wished not to be named, said: “I have been having ongoing arguments with the council this week to get them to abide by the dates of collection.

“With all this stuff that’s gone on, I am not going to partake in recycling and just put everything in the rubbish.

“If they are not going to do their part, why should I?

“As residents, what are we getting out of it?

“We are suffering, paying council tax and not getting anything collected.”