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| Birmingham bin strike: Suspension of city 'rat tax' welcomed | Birmingham bin strike: Suspension of city 'rat tax' welcomed |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Councillor Sam Forsyth, who represents Quinton, welcomed the suspension of charges | Councillor Sam Forsyth, who represents Quinton, welcomed the suspension of charges |
| A Labour councillor who quit the party over a so-called "rat tax" in Birmingham has welcomed a decision to temporarily drop the charge for residents. | A Labour councillor who quit the party over a so-called "rat tax" in Birmingham has welcomed a decision to temporarily drop the charge for residents. |
| Councillor Sam Forsyth, who represents Quinton, left the party last week over the £24.60 charge to deal with the vermin, saying the rats were a public health issue during the city's strike by bin workers. | Councillor Sam Forsyth, who represents Quinton, left the party last week over the £24.60 charge to deal with the vermin, saying the rats were a public health issue during the city's strike by bin workers. |
| Posting on Facebook, she highlighted a change to the council's website stating the calls to deal with rats in the garden or house were now "temporarily free". | Posting on Facebook, she highlighted a change to the council's website stating the calls to deal with rats in the garden or house were now "temporarily free". |
| The city council has been contacted for a response. | The city council has been contacted for a response. |
| Hundreds of bin workers have been on all-out strike since 11 March | Hundreds of bin workers have been on all-out strike since 11 March |
| Waste continues to go uncollected in parts of the city as the all-out strike continues into its sixth week. | Waste continues to go uncollected in parts of the city as the all-out strike continues into its sixth week. |
| "I have said for months that charging people to get rid of rats from their homes during a bin strike was just wrong," Forster, an independent councillor, posted. | "I have said for months that charging people to get rid of rats from their homes during a bin strike was just wrong," Forster, an independent councillor, posted. |
| "Good to see these charges removed." | "Good to see these charges removed." |
| As the strike has rumbled on, the clear up of mountains of bin bags has highlighted how the problem is most stark in densely populated inner-city areas. | As the strike has rumbled on, the clear up of mountains of bin bags has highlighted how the problem is most stark in densely populated inner-city areas. |
| Wealthier, more sparsely populated parts have been far less affected by waste building up. | Wealthier, more sparsely populated parts have been far less affected by waste building up. |
| All-out strike action led to a major incident being declared in the city in March but talks remain at a stalemate between the city council and the Unite union. | All-out strike action led to a major incident being declared in the city in March but talks remain at a stalemate between the city council and the Unite union. |
| On-and-off strike action began on 6 January with 12 walkouts planned across four months. | On-and-off strike action began on 6 January with 12 walkouts planned across four months. |
| But the situation escalated amid union anger over an alleged move by the council to hire temporary labour to, they claimed, "undermine" the industrial action. | But the situation escalated amid union anger over an alleged move by the council to hire temporary labour to, they claimed, "undermine" the industrial action. |
| Independent Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan joined volunteers cleaning the streets around Aston | Independent Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan joined volunteers cleaning the streets around Aston |
| Litter picking and resident groups continue to work to clear mountains of black bags from the city's streets. | Litter picking and resident groups continue to work to clear mountains of black bags from the city's streets. |
| One group in Aston has been clearing land around Villa Park ahead of key matches against PSG and Newcastle in the past week. | One group in Aston has been clearing land around Villa Park ahead of key matches against PSG and Newcastle in the past week. |
| Independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr Ayoub Khan joined the volunteers from Dawat-E-Islami, saying he appreciated the "great efforts" of the community. | |
| "It just shows you this is all about community pride and local organisations which are putting up their volunteers," he added. | "It just shows you this is all about community pride and local organisations which are putting up their volunteers," he added. |
| Follow BBC Birmingham on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC Birmingham on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk |