IT'S BIN COSTLY

POLICING STRIKES HAS COST TAXPAYER OVER £840K... AND COUNTING

- BEN PERRIN News Reporter

TAXPAYERS have been stung for almost £1m to cover the cost of policing picket lines during the Birmingham bin strikes - with just one arrest at waste depots this year, the Mail can reveal.

West Midlands Police staffing figures show 1,787 officers, including 1,498 PCs, 211 sergeants and 78 inspectors, have been deployed to the Birmingham City Council depots of Atlas, in Tyseley, Lifford Lane, in Kings Norton, and Perry Barr, over an 11-week period.

The huge bill to police the gatherings totalled £846,695 between February 26 and May 16.

But that figure is thought to be higher due to staggered day strikes in January and February, as well as two weeks of further strikes policed this month.

One Unite union member was arrested at a bin strike picket line on Holford Drive, in Perry Barr, following “reports of abuse and intimidating behaviour” on May 22.

A 39-year-old man was held on suspicion of a public order offence and was taken into custody for questioning. He was later released without charge.