TEST Valley Bor-ough Council has drawn up contingency plans in advance of Wednes-day's planned nat-ional strike by civil servants.

Members of the Public and Commer-cial Services Union voted in favour of strike action in response to the Government's proposals to increase the public sector pension age from 60 to 65.

Test Valley chief executive Roger Tetstall said: "It is difficult to evaluate the impact of any strike action at this stage. We are in the process of evaluating where disruption could arise.

"We can reassure residents that we will do everything we can to minimise inconvenience.

"People should carry on as usual - for example putting their bins out in the normal way for collection.

"It we are unable to make any refuse collections on Wedn-esday we will make a double collection the following week and take away any additional household waste left beside the bins."

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