'Enough of the waffle': Row over Black Country tip provision heats up

Dudley’s leader has challenged tip campaigners to name a site for a new waste facility in the north of the borough.

The increasingly bad-tempered row about household waste disposal in and around Coseley and Sedgley has continued to gather heat.

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Council leader, Councillor Patrick Harley, hit back after Reform UK’s Councillor Sat Sherwani launched an attack on his Conservative administration on the collapse of talks with Wolverhampton Council over allowing Dudley residents to use their tip at Anchor Lane.

Councillor Sherwani was speaking as he launched a petition calling on Dudley to “Work with neighbouring authorities to explore access arrangements where appropriate”.

He said: “Years ago Tory Dudley Council failed to negotiate a deal to allow Coseley people to continue using it and recently they failed again.

“My petition is the way to keep the noise high and get Tory Dudley back on the negotiating table to get a deal done.

“I’ve had enough of the waffle from the Tory Dudley Council and their leader and councillors.”

In January 2026, six months of discussions about allowing Dudley residents to use Anchor Lane ended after Wolverhampton council concluded a deal would have an ‘adverse impact’ on its residents.

Councillor Harley said discussions continued but without any result and the petition, which is hosted on Dudley Council’s website and has around 2,000 signatures, is aimed at the wrong authority.

Councillor Harley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Serious negotiations took place from January until just before May. 

“Officers and politicians thought we had a good business case that suited Wolverhampton and Dudley.  

“For reasons only known to Wolverhampton a political decision was taken to withdraw from talks. 

“Therefore, the idiotic and childish assertion from Councillor Sherwani is wrong, misleading and in effect he is taking his residents for a ride. 

“I can, as leader, authorise the borrowing required to fund a tip anywhere he likes. 

“If he would like to let me know where we can discuss. 

“Any silly petition should be sent to Councillor Simkins of Wolverhampton as only Wolves and no other authority can make the decision for Dudley to use Anchor Lane. 

“I repeat if Sherwani or any other Reform councillor can suggest a site I will take it seriously and ask officers to build a business case for funding.”

Dudley residents lost access to Anchor Lane in early 2021 after Wolverhampton council asked for a 65 percent increase in the annual fee paid by Dudley to allow use of the tip.