Birmingham bin strike: Should bin collections be nationalised?

The council says it's making real progress in clearing the backlog, but when taking a stroll through inner city areas like Sparkhill or Aston, the stench of missed collections tells another story.

It all started with the decision to scrap the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role. That's the higher paid job on the back of the lorry.

The council says it's outdated and risks triggering more equal pay claims.

Unite the Union representing the workers says it's a safety critical role and axing it could leave some workers over £6,000 worse off.

The council insists not a single worker needs to lose a penny, offering alternative roles.

Meanwhile, community groups are picking up the slack.

Residents in Aston cleared bags of waste ahead of a big match at Villa Park.

And after public pressure, the council made its controversial pest control charge, dubbed the rat tax, temporarily free.

The devoid is plain to see. Wealthier suburbs have stayed clean. Densely packed inner city streets have borne the brunt.

And with 493 agency workers already filling gaps in refuse, some suspect that temporary labour has been used to undercut the strike.

Council leader John Cotton says the door remains open, but it's hard to see how progress gets made when both sides are locked into their own version of reality.

Until then, the black bags keep piling up and so does public frustration.