A TRADE union is calling for two council bosses to resign over “serious failings” in safety at the city’s waste collection depot.

The GMB wants Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive Geoff Raw and executive director Nick Hibberd to step down.

Its says they have failed to properly organise the Cityclean service and its base at Hollingdean.

The move comes after “serious issues” over vehicle safety standards at the depot were uncovered.

A number of important documents relating to vehicle safety and staff checks were not completed, The Argus understands.

The council has vowed to take “urgent action” and has reported the problem to independent regulator the Traffic Commissioner.

Union bosses say senior council executives should have known about the failings, and have accused them of incompetence.

And they say Cityclean is at risk of losing its licence – putting the waste disposal service in danger of being shut down and hundreds of workers’ jobs at risk.

GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said: “I’ve never seen such basic incompetence which has led us to having the threat of having the city’s operating licence withdrawn and the service shut before.”

Gary Palmer, GMB regional organiser said: “It’s time for the chief exec and head of the environment service to step aside for someone with the vision and the drive to resolve the numerous on-going issues and managerial errors.”

The city council said it was “fully committed” to working with the trade unions.

A spokesman said: “Providing safe public services for the city is our number one shared priority.

“Over the last six months we’ve undertaken a number of initiatives to make Cityclean a fairer and safer place to work and have sought to involve unions wherever possible and where change has been needed.

“These initiatives are being led by the new assistant director of city environment [Rachel Chasseaud] and strongly supported by her director and the chief executive.

“As a result of recent changes in senior management at Cityclean, some serious issues have been uncovered which have required urgent action.

“Through the work of one of our new Cityclean managers it was learned that the safety standards required by the Traffic Commissioner – the independent regulator of the commercial road transport industry – were not being met.

“The standards relate to the vehicles used by the City Environment service and statutory staff checks.”

The union also claimed its reps were being bullied by senior management in a “sustained attack”.

It said they were being made the subject of “spurious investigations, grievances and suspensions”.

A council spokesman said: “We reject any claims of inappropriate action or processes against staff.”