A COUNCIL has denied claims that binmen were asked to "take a break" from their strike to collect rubbish around the city ahead of a half-marathon this weekend.

The Brighton branch of tenants’ union Acorn alleged that councillors in the Green administration of Brighton and Hove City Council had asked refuse workers taking industrial action "to clean up the streets" ahead of the event on Sunday.

However, a council spokesman has refuted the allegations, saying they are untrue.

The council also moved to quash claims that council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty had not met with representatives to discuss a resolution to the dispute.

The spokesperson said: “Cllr Mac Cafferty is meeting with GMB representatives later today with the aim of agreeing a resolution to the dispute.”

The continued talks come as the bin strike in the city enters its fourth day, with images showing rubbish beginning to pile up in streets across Brighton and Hove.

Should the GMB union and the council be unable to reach an agreement, industrial action is set to last for two weeks, with another fortnight of strikes announced for October 21.

Refuse workers voted unanimously in a ballot for strike action amid a dispute over pay and working conditions.

Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth has slammed the Green administration’s handling of the dispute.

He said: “It will not be a surprise to residents that the Green Party is unable to communicate with those who work hard to empty bins.

“I doubt that anybody who voted Green imagined that getting on top of this long-running issue would be a possibility, especially those who remember 'meat-free Mondays' in the Cityclean canteen.”

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