Warning plans to charge for garden waste in Walsall will lead to increase in fly-tipping

Councillor Mike Bird, the leader of Walsall's Conservative party and former leader of the council, made the comments as he described the budget put forward as the worst he has ever seen.

The Tories in Walsall had control of the council up until earlier this year when Labour gained a seat and had enough to form a majority with the Liberal Democrats.

The new administration have now put a four-year budget forward in which they are proposing to reduce green waste collection season by one month so it ends in September not October and introduce charges for garden waste.

This is on top of plans for every other week bin collections which were approved in December last year.

Speaking about the proposals and the budget as a whole Councillor Bird said: "There are things in there that do concern me. I do understand we have to balance the budget but I did say to Councillor Coughlan back when he took over 'there ain't no money' and he is beginning to see that now.

"Some of the measures that have been put forward we have defeated in the past and we will try to defeat them again. One of these is the charge for garden waste collection. This combined with the month less of green waste collection will led to further misery and further dumping of rubbish.

"I will be seeking a meeting early next week with my shadow cabinet and council officers to go through the proposals properly as the devil is in the detail."

Asked about how a Conservative budget would differ from the Labour one put forward, Councillor Bird added: "We have got to look at different ways of doing things maybe some services could be outsourced or be dealt with jointly with other councils and authorities. All the Black Country councils, the Police, the Fire Service, have a HR department and a HR problem is a HR problem.

"The fact we were shouted down for saying council tax needs to go up by 12 to 15 per cent shows the inexperience of the Labour administration.

"However as a Conservative party we have to take the criticisms that central government has done little to help the Black Country. Whatever the colour of the council or central government Walsall always seems to come off badly.

"It does disappoint me that they have been elected on lies and false promises, especially over the libraries and for a new community centre in Blakenall.

"But I have to say this is the worst budget I have ever seen to try and balance and that comes down to central government cuts.

"People are now going to have to contribute to the services they want and that is the way it is."

As well as the cuts to waste services, the council, led by Councillor Sean Coughlan, is proposing to relocate Walsall Leather Museum into the town's central library and increase parking charges.