A COUNCIL leader has slammed a binmen's petition for "seriously misleading" the public.

As reported by the Northern Echo last week, refuse workers in the Redcar and Cleveland area have drafted a petition in a bid to gain public support in their protest against proposed changes to their contracts.

Now, Councillor Dave Walsh, the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, which is behind the changes, claims the union-backed petition is based on distorted facts.

"We are not asking anyone to work more than 37 hours a week," he said. "All we ask is that they work a later shift to provide this essential service.

"The main part of the proposals is sweeping the town centres with a crew of four."

The petition is the latest move by the binmen after they threatened to strike to prevent their working day from being extended to 9pm.

They claimed that collecting rubbish up to this time, along with the council's proposal for town centre sweeping, would be unpopular with the public, as well as themselves.

But Coun Walsh argued that they were exaggerating the scope of the plans.

He said: "The council is not going to be providing an all-singing, all-dancing refuse service across the borough at night.

"It merely wishes to have a single crew of two men on hand to respond to public demand."

He added: "The public will be astonished that this should still be a matter for industrial dispute when it is normal practice throughout the industry."