Newport City Council will face ‘heavy’ job losses if it proceeds with proposals to move to three weekly bin collections and cut back on grass cutting, a trade union is warning.
GMB said the proposals - which would see grass only being cut at half the recommended average - would also lead to residential areas becoming ‘dirty and overgrown’.
It also predicts job losses in the council’s street scene and greens department.
Rowena Hayward, GMB regional officer, said: ‘There are proposals to move to three weekly bin collections, to cut back on grass cutting to 50% of the recommended average. The proposed cuts within their cemetery operations will mean splitting services between sites on allocated days.
‘Cut backs in drainage and canal maintenance will increase risk of flooding and reduce public access to canal footpaths. The canal projects have received substantial funding grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Welsh Government and others.
‘These continuing service cuts and job losses do nothing to inspire confidence amongst Newport residents who work for the authority.’
A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: 'Many budget proposals for next year and following years are being explored across all service areas and it would be unfair to consider these in isolation rather than considering the wider picture.
'Budget proposals will go out to full public consultation in December and decisions, some of them very difficult, will be taken by the full council early in 2016 after considering feedback from Newport residents.'
