Waste piling up as bin is refused

Bags full of weeds are piling high at a block of flats housing elderly people in Walsall because the council refuses to provide a free garden waste bin, it emerged today.

Pensioners have collected 28 bags containing garden rubbish from borders outside their flats in Broad Way, Shelfield, but have not got a brown bin to put the waste in. Resident Christine Hughes, aged 61, said: "None of us drive and so we can't take the rubbish to the local tip. We have collected a lot of garden waste and all the bags are piling up.

"I think it is disgusting that the council refuse to provide us with a bin."

Conservative councillor Cath Micklewright, who represents Rushall Shelfield, said today she was outraged by the stance of the Tory-controlled authority and has offered to pay the £18.50 herself to purchase a bin for residents.

She wrote to Walsall Council's Street Pride department asking for a bin to be provided and says she has been told the garden waste scheme is beyond capacity.

She said: "I am absolutely fuming over this. The pensioners have collected 28 bags full of weeds collected from their borders and they are piling high. They aren't mobile enough to go and take the bags to a tip and they shouldn't have too.

"If they put the bags in the regular household rubbish bin they could face a fine so the bags are just piling up.

"All they are asking for is a garden waste bin to be provided for them all so they can dispose of the garden waste. They are four pensioners who find money is tight.

"I find the whole thing totally absurd and am spitting feathers over this.

"I have written to Street Pride and they have told me the service is at full capacity and they won't be providing a brown bin.

"I have offered to pay for the bin out of my own money but I am angry that the council isn't prepared to pay for a brown bin for these people."

The pensioners live in flats owned by Walsall Housing Group.

Both Walsall Council and the housing group were unavailable for comment today.