BARROW will be blighted by dirtier streets under a looming shake-up of refuse collection that will axe 20 jobs in the town, a union claims.

The GMB says that a new seven-year refuse collection contract which has just been awarded to FCC Environment by Barrow Borough Council will have a devastating impact on the quality of refuse and street cleaning services.

It will also wipe out more than a third of the service's current 54 refuse collection jobs.

RELATED ARTICLE: Bin collection firm publishes all of garden waste club members' email addresses

The news comes as levels of frustration and anger across the community reach boiling point over continued problems with green waste collections in the town.

Private firm FCC Environment took over the contract from Biffa Waste Management last month and one official has pointed the finger of blame at the Labour-led council.

According to Stuart Gilhespy, a regional official with the GMB in Cumbria, the local authority will now switch from a five-day domestic waste collection service to a four day one, while town centre cleansing will cease at weekends.

The number of workers deployed to pick up rubbish from the town's streets with wheeled barrows is also being cut from three to one, said Mr Gillespie.

“The big losers in this will the employees who are going to lose their jobs and the residents of Barrow,” he said.

“We have some long serving members working for this company.

“I was talking to one guy today who has thirty years service under his belt. All of these workers are shaken up by this, understandably.

“Clearly, it's all about saving money. The council must have known when they were making these cuts what the impact would be, and that it would led to job losses.

“It was the council that changed the contract.

“It's bound to lead to a reduction in the level of service they can offer and to dirtier streets. What's going to happen in Barrow on Sundays and bank holidays?

"It's pretty obvious the place won't be as clean as it was.”

The workers involved were informed of the proposed redundancies yesterday and have now entered a consultation period, after which final decisions will be made about their future.

It is understood Barrow Borough Council officials had known about potential job losses within the service though they were informed officially by FCC today.

Keith Johnson, assistant director of community services at the borough authority, said: “BBC understands that FCC Environment have commenced consultation with the relevant unions on new working practices and staffing levels for those employees working on the council’s household waste and recycling collection and street cleansing contract.

"The council has not been informed, nor would it expect to be informed of the details at this stage.

"The contract itself has a clear specification which the council expects the contractor to adhere to and it is for FCC to deploy adequate resources to meet their obligations.

"The council has systems in place to ensure that the requirements of the contract are being fulfilled.

"The council is aware that FCC have been experiencing teething problems with the introduction of their garden waste club and will endeavour to support FCC to overcome these."

Council leader Cllr Dave Pidduck said he was disappointed at news of the potential job losses.

"Any loss of jobs is a concern, as is a drop in standards.

"Barrow has had enough job losses for a lifetime.

"As a council we will need to know how FCC are going to maintain standards with a smaller team.

"We want our streets to be cleaned and for our residents to live in a clean community," he added.

FCC refused to provide a statement on the proposed job cuts despite numerous requests from the Evening Mail.

READ MORE: Members of Barrow 'garden waste club' report bins not emptied on first day of new scheme

READ MORE: Barrow garden waste latest: Compost made from green waste does not go directly to the council