I have learned today that members of the GMB have voted to take strike action in protest at the Council’s proposed changes to their allowances.

I know from my mailbag that there is considerable concern in my constituency about the impact that reductions will have on the incomes of low paid workers - and I have already expressed my support for a deal that does not see cuts to take-home pay.

As Brighton Pavilion MP and a local resident, I also share the very real worries of the many constituents who have contacted me about the public health consequences of their rubbish not being collected as a result of strike action.

While I have no say over the Council's decisions, I have urged all involved to actively seek a resolution through negotiations. With people's bins overflowing in the streets, that call is now more urgent than ever.

I hope that councillors across the political parties will set aside their differences, stop using this issue as a political football, and do their utmost to bring an end to this dispute - one that will see workers paid fairly and their rights upheld, and one that will ensure that cityclean employees can get back to the hugely important task of keeping our streets clear of rubbish.