Birmingham City Council leader John Clancy resigns after bins strike fiasco
Birmingham City Council leader John Clancy has resigned tonight following controversy over the bin dispute.
It comes following the Labour leader's handling of the bin strike - in particular the fall-out from the aborted deal he struck with the Unite union in mid-August.
He was due to face calls for his resignation from Labour councillors and a possible vote of no confidence.
Mr Clancy has been leader since December 2015, taking over from Sir Albert Bore.
Posting on his blog about the resignation this afternoon, he said: "It has become clear to me that frenzied media speculation about the Birmingham waste dispute is beginning to harm Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Labour Party. I can see no end to such speculation, as ill-informed as much of it is, for as long as I remain Leader."
Bin workers went back on strike in the city on September 1, with waste collection workers returning to the pickets.
The union signalled that the fresh walk-outs could continue until the new year if a new deal could not be struck with City Hall over local authority plans to shake-up bin collection services.
Many city streets and paths are still clogged with piles of black bags from over-flowing wheelie bins after recent strike action.
