Council chief leaves bins behind after move to Oz

A KEY player in Birmingham's bins strike crisis has moved to Australia - leaving the piles of stinking rubbish behind him.

- JAMES CARTLEDGE

Craig Cooper, who defended Birmingham City Council's stance during the conflict, has moved 10,000 miles away to Brisbane, one of the "cleanest, greenest and most sustainable cities in Australia", which was awarded a UN accolade in 2023.

Mr Cooper, 58, announced his relocation on LinkedIn.

Community activist Paul Smith, 46, from Northfield, said the move mirrored the council's attitude towards residents who had "given up hope" after months of squalor.

He said: "It shows the attitude towards residents. I don't know what the answer is but people are really suffering.