Schools closed by council strike

Strike placards at Smithies Lane waste centre in Barnsley

More than 200 schools across South Yorkshire closed for two days as a 48-hour strike by council workers in a dispute over pay began on Wednesday.

Local authorities said the walk out by union members had also hit bin collections and other services.

In Doncaster, the council said 70% of schools were fully closed.

Thousands of council staff across the county are taking part in a national strike after their union rejected a 2.45% pay rise offer.

In Sheffield, 147 of the city's 180 schools are fully open. The council said 25 were partially closed and eight were fully closed.

Most council buildings and services, including bin collections, were operating as normal, a spokesman said.

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council said there would be no green bin collections or kerbside recycling collections and limited or no grey bin collections over the two days.

Most council buildings and 36 schools in the town were closed.

In Rotherham, 65 schools were closed.

A council spokesman said there was cover in the social services and housing departments, to make sure essential services to vulnerable people were maintained.

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