Council tax discounts for those still not receiving waste collections are “not possible”, claim town hall officials.

Despite Cityclean staff returning to work, bin bags and recycling is still piled high in some areas of Brighton and Hove after unofficial industrial action last week.

With some complaining they will be left without a collection for three weeks, Brighton and Hove City Council said it cannot give discounts on the taxpayers’ annual rates.

The council added anyone who refuses to pay council tax could be taken to court.

Peter Challis, of Anvil Close, Portslade, said his recycling was emptied on Tuesday but his bins had not been collected for two weeks.

Mr Challis said: “All we want from the council is the streets cleaned and our rubbish collected.It seems they are concentrating on the wrong things, such as cycle lanes and 20mph zones, rather than the simple things.”

A council spokesman said it was no longer accepting any more reports of missed collections, either via phone or online.

He advised residents to only put out their waste in time for the next collection day and asked people to take their waste to the city’s tips if possible.

But, Anne Cornish, of Greenfield Crescent, Patcham, said it was not good enough. She said: “My husband is at the stage where if they do not empty it soon he will take the waste down to the council offices.”

The backlog has been created after Cityclean staff refused to work for two days last week.

It comes after the local authority announced its deal to revamp the system of allowances and expenses to its workers.

Union representatives claim the changes will leave refuse workers £4,000 worse off.

Despite returning to work, most Cityclean staff are strictly sticking to their contractual arrangements.

This means they are not working extra hours and not picking up waste which is not in designated containers.

A ballot for full industrial action will take place in the coming weeks with a potential strike in June.

A council spokesman said: “Council tax is a statutory tax paying for a range of local services and facilities all year round, not only refuse and recycling.

“Even though there has been disruption to collection, the law does not permit you to withhold payment of your council tax.

“If you do withhold your payments, the council’s normal processes would apply and you could be sent a reminder to pay or a summons to court if a reminder has already been sent to you this year.”