Council boss defends skipping bin strike talks

John Cotton told the BBC it is "not my job to be in the room leading on those negotiations"

Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton has defended his decision to not attend pay dispute talks with refuse workers, saying "it's absolutely right that you have the professional officers" negotiating.

The Unite union has criticised Cotton's absence while its members, who have been on an all-out strike for almost eight months, recently voted to extend action until March 2026.

Cotton said that while he set out the policy position it was important "there's a demarcation" between politicians and full-time council officers who undertake "industrial negotiations".

Asked by BBC Radio WM when he thought the strike could be over by, he said: "I'm not going to throw out dates in that way."

The leader of the Labour-run authority added he did not think "that would be [a] fair or right thing to do".

Cotton stated: "I do have to say to colleagues in Unite if we're going to talk further, there needs to be a reality around the situation facing this service and facing the council."

In the summer, Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham accused the local authority of "fire and rehire" tactics, but added they would not work.

'Concern and confusion'

The radio station's The hotseat interview lasted over an hour on Thursday and also included questions from members of the public.

Asked about green waste collection, Cotton said that, "along with separate recyling, [are]... two of the things we've had to suspend" and he was "really keen to try and get these services switched on again".

But he added "it is reliant on us finding a final solution to the industrial action" and when questioned by the BBC about the timescale, stated he could not "give a date on that".

Last month, a group of academics and financial experts said there should be a public inquiry into how the council declared itself effectively bankrupt in 2023.

On Thursday, Cotton stated "there's a debate to be had around the manner in which the section 114 [bankruptcy] notice was issued.

"The issuing of that notice could've been handled in a way that didn't spread the kind of concern and confusion around the city that we saw in September 2023."