Dudley Council Budget Plans Include Scrapping Pop-Up Waste Tips

Dudley: The council’s budget plans for the next year are stirring up some worries. They’re looking to save £120,000 by getting rid of pop-up waste tips. This has folks concerned about more rubbish being dumped, especially in the northern parts where there’s no permanent recycling center.

During a recent meeting, councillors discussed this plan. Councillor Cathryn Bayton raised a good point about losing waste facilities in the north. She’s worried that closing these tips could lead to more fly-tipping.

Nick McGurk, the director of environment, expressed his sadness over the potential closure. He acknowledged how popular the pop-up tips have been but emphasized the council’s financial struggles. He mentioned they would keep an eye on fly-tipping rates, even though they don’t expect it to rise.

These pop-up tips started in October 2022 after a deal with Wolverhampton fell through. They’ve been a hit, helping the council work towards its net-zero goals.

Dr. Rob Clinton, the cabinet member for climate change, previously praised the tips for aiding recycling efforts. He hoped residents would keep using them to help keep Dudley clean and green.

With a £42 million budget shortfall, the council is now reconsidering these services. Councillor Damian Corfield mentioned that the council is only required to provide one permanent waste recycling center, which is currently in Stourbridge.

He noted that the pop-up tips were an extra service that he wanted to expand. However, due to the current financial situation, they might have to go. He hopes to revisit this service once the council’s finances improve.

Corfield also pointed out that fly-tipping is a bigger issue, often linked to organized crime. In the past year, they’ve dealt with several cases of large-scale illegal dumping in the borough.

The council will vote on the budget for the upcoming year at the end of February, so it’s a wait-and-see situation for now.