£700,000 deep clean plan for Walsall borough

Plans have been put forward to spend £715,000 to carry out deep cleans to tackle the "deterioration" of streets.

It comes after a pilot project was set up last year, running until March 31, to clean up pigeon mess and graffiti and tidy certain areas.

Now bosses at Walsall Council are set to vote on whether to extend the scheme until March 31 next year – with Walsall, Aldridge, Brownhills, Bloxwich, Darlaston and Willenhall all included.

It will see an annual deep clean of town centres carried out, with a response team on-hand to remove graffiti.

Council leader Mike Bird said: "I think it's one of the most successful cabinet items that have happened in the Clean and Green portfolio.

"It was an election pledge to invest in this – it was part of the budget and it was requested we should continue with it.

"People have really appreciated what we've been doing and we've had lots of comments made.

"There has been a marked difference and people working out there deserve the credit – along with Councillor Oliver Butler.

"He does all kinds of things and is very hands on – he does it for the good of the people in the borough.

"But, as I've said, the litter that comes into the town and district centres does not fall in bags from the sky – it's people who drop it on the floor."

Among the costs will be £8,000 spent on dealing with pigeon mess, with eight staff also targeting key areas in the borough – costing £268,000.

A further £308,000 will spent on temporary agency labour to cover staff absences and training.

A decision will be made by councillors at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.