An investigation into Cityclean’s Hollingdean depot in Brighton found a “high degree of interference from politicians in disciplinary processes”.
It was alleged that union member councillors were able to sit on appeal panels to overturn disciplinary action taken against their comrades at the bin depot.
Brighton and Hove City Council was told to stop using the appeal panels in 2017 and again in 2019, but the practice continued until December 2020.
Members of the council’s strategy, finance and city regeneration committee will be asked to “move forward” with recommendations in the report to “ensure employment decisions are made in the right places” when they meet on January 25.
The independent whistleblower report published last year found workers were regularly violent, racist, homophobic and misogynistic to other staff members, and one employee even took a samurai sword, nun chucks, knives and other violent weapons into work while the investigation was under way.
Councillors will meet next week to vote on a full “action plan” to tackle the “serious and devastating” findings of the inquiry.
READ MORE: Brighton Cityclean depot: Full report into suicide, drugs and violence
Council leader Bella Sankey said: “In the months since the report was published firm actions around behaviour, equalities and workplace culture have already been taken.
“Staff and managers have told me they can already feel the change. This is just one step in a much bigger journey.”
The action plan is yet to be published but will attempt to solve the issues in 18 months.
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