People and communities
Councillors and community unite to clear fly-tipping
Published on
Councillors and volunteers have joined forces to remove 40 bags of rubbish from fly-tipping hotspots in Birchills.
Councillor Garry Perry, Leader of Walsall Council, Councillor Kerry Murphy, Portfolio Holder for Street Pride, Councillor Gaz Ali and Councillor Tina Jukes joined volunteers on Sunday 19 January 2025. Volunteers included members of the Pleck Picking Posse and Bloxwich Blox Busters.
The team worked for three hours to remove 40 bags of rubbish from Old Birchills, Reedswood Lane, Reedswood Gardens, Bentley Lane Edward Street, Pargeter Street, Cairns Street and Dalkeith Street.
The amount of rubbish removed reflects continuous issues faced in the area, which Walsall Council has committed significant resources to in recent years.
“ This area is serving as a real drain on our resources, resources which could be used to much greater effect elsewhere.
Despite significant efforts, including a recent large-scale removal from Dalkeith Street and multiple outreaches, the issues persist.
We will continue to do what we can to keep our borough safe and clean, but it isn’t the council dumping the waste.
There is no excuse for it, we have two Household Waste Recycling Centres that are free to use. We also offer a bulky items collection service which can be booked through the council's website. “
On Tuesday 8 January 2025, a large-scale cleanup was conducted to remove 9 tonnes of fly-tipping removed from Dalkeith Street.
Since April 2022, Walsall Council has cleared 75 different fly-tipping incidents from the street, costing around £15,000 in total.
“ It was wonderful to join some of our committed litter pickers who do such great work.
We have done a lot of work to clear different parts of Birchills in recent times, this being the latest.
I would just encourage everyone locally to have a look at the ways they can dispose of their waste in the correct manner.
It's so disheartening to see the flytipping reappear time and time again. The people behind it need to start taking personal responsibility and do better. “
Shokt Fazal, who attended the Birchills litter pick, said, “Ask not what your council can do for you, but what you can do for your council. It's a collective responsibility for a better environment and communities.”
Residents are encouraged to play their part in the fight against fly-tipping by reporting incidents on the council's website: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/apply/myaccount-online-services/report-fly-tip.
There are two household waste recycling centres in Walsall, located at Fryers Road, Bloxwich and Merchants Way, Aldridge.
Ends
Notes to editors:
• Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence which carries a fine of up to £20,000 (unlimited if indicted to the Crown Court). Offenders can even be sent to prison.
• There are two household waste recycling centres in the borough of Walsall which are free to use: Fryers Road, Bloxwich and Merchants Way, Aldridge.
• The council offers a bulky items collection service for residents who may struggle to take larger items to a household waste recycling centre. This can be booked through the council website.
• Residents who are struggling to manage their household waste, for example because of a growing family or an ongoing medical condition, can apply for a larger bin through the council’s website.
