Councillors from the new Independents for B&NES movement fear a council dispute over pay could lead to strikes and uncollected waste - similar to the situation in Birmingham.

Independent members have given their support this week to the hundreds of council employees facing a pay cut in a dispute with B&NES Council.

The new group on the council was founded by three Independent Councillors last month who want local people’s views to be at the centre of every decision the council makes.

As part of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s new pay model, hundreds of staff working in the waste, recycling and passenger transport departments will see their pay cut from June 1.

Cllr Chris Warren (Independent, Saltford) said: “This week we’ve also learnt that the Lib Dem ruling group are trialling’ an electric recycling truck which will be bought for an eye watering £330,000.

“These vehicles are totally unsuitable for purpose but of course the Net Zero zealots will happily waste our money on virtue signalling while the people who actually work on the existing recycling trucks are facing a wage cut.

“For most B&NES Council taxpayers the recycling crews are the only face to face council employees they encounter, and we can see these guys work hard, yet the Lib Dems want to slash their wages.

“If the issue isn’t resolved soon, residents in B&NES could start to see a similar situation to what’s been happening in Birmingham where workers have been on strike and rubbish hasn’t been collected for months.”

The Unison union voted against the council’s proposals during a consultative ballot of its members in April. Despite attempts to negotiate and liaise with the council’s leadership, the issue hasn’t been resolved, and the employment committee is expected to vote through the plans on May 14.

The employment committee is comprised of just three Liberal Democrat councillors, with no cross-party or independent representation.

Councillor Gavin Heathcote (Independent, Peasedown) said: “You just couldn’t make it up. At a time when we’re all seeing an increase in bills and the cost of living is impacting our daily lives, Lib Dem-run B&NES Council wants to cut pay for some of our lowest paid workers.

“Those that work in our waste, recycling and passenger transport departments are some of our council’s hardest working employees.”

Independents for B&NES is calling on the council to get back to the negotiating table and give workers the pay rise they deserve. Without it, concerns increase for an all-out workers’ strike which will have a huge impact on waste and recycling collections across Bath and North East Somerset.

Leader of the Group, Cllr Karen Walker (Independent, Peasedown) said: “We are 100 per cent behind the workers in their pay dispute with the council. I know many of these hard-working employees personally who say the proposed pay cut is a ‘kick in the teeth’ and shows a complete disregard for the work they do.”

B&NES Liberal Democrats have been approached for a comment.