Five Walsall wards make up half of all flytipping reports

Flytipping cost Walsall taxpayers £336,000 in 2023/24, with more than half of the bill coming from just five wards.

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St Matthews, Palfrey, Pleck, Willenhall South and Birchills Leamore accounted for 53 per cent of the entire expenditure for the borough.

The three least offending wards, Aldridge North, Pelsall and Streetly each account for just 1 percent.

Leader of the labour group at Walsall Council, councillor Matt Ward, has called on the authority to ‘name and shame’ the culprits and publish the names of those who are fined.

Councillor Ward also called for more CCTV cameras to be installed and for officers to be deployed in areas which are known hot spots.

One of the worst three roads in Walsall for flytipping reports. Other two in top three are Windsor Street, Palfrey, and Bloxwich Road, Birchills Leamore
Pic by LDR Rachel Alexander
Permission for use for LDR partners — One of the worst three roads in Walsall for flytipping reports. Other two in top three are Windsor Street, Palfrey, and Bloxwich Road, Birchills Leamore Pic by LDR Rachel Alexander Permission for use for LDR partners

Councillor Ward said: “The council needs to get more proactive in challenging their own communities and getting them to come forward with information.

“Secondly, the council needs to be more proactive in naming and shaming people and challenging people’s behaviour.

“If you talk to any of the volunteer litter pickers, they’ve given up on some of the streets which are in the top wards.”

A spokesperson for Walsall Council said tackling fly-tipping is a priority for the authority.

One of the worst three roads in Walsall for flytipping reports, other two are Milton Street, Palfrey and Bloxwich Road, Birchills Leamore
Pic by LDR Rachel Alexander
Permission for use for LDR partners — One of the worst three roads in Walsall for flytipping reports, other two are Milton Street, Palfrey and Bloxwich Road, Birchills Leamore Pic by LDR Rachel Alexander Permission for use for LDR partners

They said: “The council does not disclose details relating to the deployment of CCTV cameras.

“Fly-tipping is a priority for the council. As part of our response to tackle fly-tipping, a variety of tools are used, including the use of crime scene tape to highlight the impact of fly-tipping, as well as access to additional cameras.

“Fixed penalty notices (FPNs) are governed by a statutory framework, so cases referred to other courts will be redirected back and not succeed.

“Issuing of FPNs are not made public. Where an FPN is taken to the magistrate’s court, details of the case are made public in the same way as other court cases.”

A distribution of fly-tip reports per ward across Walsall are as follows:

St Matthews 14%
Palfrey 14%
Pleck 10%
Willenhall South 8%
Birchills Leamore 7%
Blakenall 7%
Bentley & Darlaston 6%
Darlaston South 6%
Pheasey Park Farm 4%
Paddock 3%
Bloxwich West 3%
Short Heath 2%
Aldridge Central 2%
Bloxwich East 2%
Brownhills 4%
Rushall Shelfield 2%
Willenhall North 2%
Aldridge North 1%
Pelsall 1%
Streetly 1%