'It's my duty to step up and take those tough decisions'

Council leader John Cotton tells Jane Haynes his ‘door is open’ to negotiate over bins saga — but that the authority won't jeopardise progress made on equal pay and service reform

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City council leader John Cotton at the Post & Mail offices.

BIRMINGHAM City Council leader John Cotton has insisted his “door is open” to negotiate an end to the bin strike ~ before admitting he has not personally been involved in talks.

But he pledged his council would take any “necessary steps” required to bring the dispute to an end as the bins union Unite pledged to “stay out till May” if necessary.

Cllr Cotton, Labour leader of the council, was responding to questions put to him by readers when he visited the Post & Mail offices.

Q) Dave asked: “Unite members are going to stay out until you come up with a compensation package for downgraded workers. Will they ever get it?”

A) In response, the council leader repeated claims, disputed by the union, that ‘several fair and reasonable offers have been on the table’

He said: “We went through a consultation with Acas, the body that oversees industrial relations negotiations, and I am really sorry that Unite chose to reject each of those fair and reasonable offers.

“Frankly they have continued to ask for stuff that the council just cannot give them.