Birmingham Live readers and residents across Birmingham are outraged to be told that their recycling collection services have been suspended due to the ongoing bins strike, with the council advising them to dispose of their rubbish at the local tip instead. This update, however, was only recently added to the council's online guidance, leaving many households unaware and still putting out their recycling bins as usual, only to be left uncollected.

The suspension of recycling collections coincides with Birmingham City Council's announcement of a planned 7.5% council tax increase for the upcoming financial year, which follows a nearly 10% rise last April.

The city is bracing for significant disruptions as Unite union members embark on a 12-day strike this month and a 13-day strike in March in protest of proposed job cuts. A local resident, whose recycling was due for collection, expressed concerns to BirminghamLive : "This will case real problems for people whose recycling bins are already full and who cannot get to the tip to empty them. All this of course while our council tax goes up by 17.5 per cent in just two years."

Read more: 10 ways budget cuts impact you

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has come forward with strong words against pay reductions........

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