Garden waste collection charges, council tax and government spending to be debated tonight by Walsall Council
Tonight bosses at Walsall Council will be quizzed on several topics including garden waste collection costs, council tax increases and the hotly debated £20m Darlaston town board.
A total of ten questions are being put to portfolio holders at the authority, all from five councillors from across the borough and one from a member of the public, Elaine Williams.
Furthermore, a notice of motion has been put forward by Councillor Pete Smith regarding an incoming £20 million worth of funding to improve the area of Blakenall.
The public meeting is set to take place at 6pm on Monday, 3 November at Walsall Council house.
The first question on the agenda is from the chair of the Walsall and Bloxwich Reform UK branch, Elaine Williams.
She will ask the council leader, Councillor Mike Bird, who is also portfolio holder for finance, if he regrets not increasing council tax by the maximum amount.
Councillor Bird will also be asked why the council is paying an additional £40 million into the West Midlands Pension Fund by Councillor Graham Eardley, Pelsall ward, the only Reform UK councillor at the authority.
Councillor Matt Ward, ward member for Darlaston South and leader of the labour group at the council, will ask how the £1.5billion regeneration programme in Walsall is currently benefiting residents after it was named ‘worst place for quality of life’, as well as fly tipping data from over the last 12 months and temporary accommodation.
Councillor Pete Smith, independent ward member for Blakenall, will ask if charges for garden waste collections will be ruled out should the council choose to combine the service with the mandatory food waste collections coming to residents in March 2026.
He also asks about the council’s plans on addressing the huge housing shortage across the borough.
Councillor Michael Coulson, Bloxwich West ward, will ask for data regarding social value across different wards in Walsall.
Finally, Councillor Mehmi, labour member for Pleck, will press leaders about a transit site in Pleck where temporary planning permission has expired, and also about the lack of community involvement on the decision making board in Darlaston.
For weeks the town board in charge of £20m of government spending in Darlaston has been a sore subject.
Two ward members for Darlaston South, husband and wife Councillor Paul and Chris Bott, have accused the council of ‘sidelining’ the community by choosing to have a board made up of mainly professionals.
Councillor Mehmi said he was ‘surprised to see so little community involvement’ and will ask the portfolio holder to confirm how the board will involve residents going forwards.
On a similar theme, Councillor Pete Smith has tabled a notice of motion regarding another pot of £20 million from the government which is destined for the area of Blakenall South.
The councillor said he would ‘strongly oppose’ a board with a similar set up to that of Darlaston, believing residents should be ‘in the driving seat’ with professionals only present to support and advise.
The notice of motion calls for the council to confirm it will hold a public meeting once clear government guidance has been issued regarding the scheme.
It also calls for the council to confirm that any decision-making board will ‘genuinely represent’ those that live and work in the area, supported and advised by officers and appropriate stakeholders.
The final part of the motion calls for any meetings to be held in person rather than online, and for any major financial commitment or decision to go before members to vote.
The full council meeting will start at 6pm tonight at Walsall Council House.
