Action starts to clear up 18ft rubbish mound

Taxpayers may be left to foot the bill for clearing a huge mound of rubbish that has blighted in the Black Country for five years, it was revealed today.

The 18ft pile of building materials, plastic sheeting and rotting wooden boxes at a scrapyard in Wolverhampton has sparked complaints.

Wolverhampton council is now going to court in a bid to seize the land so it can begin to clear the mound.

The yard is leased by skip firm Jones of Bilston, but neighbours say the company has moved out.

Gulshan Verma, manager of Bilston Skip Hire, based on an adjacent yard said his company had taken over the telephone line of Jones of Bilston, in Monmore Road, but insisted it had not taken over the site or any liability regarding the rubbish.

The rubbish mound is taller than some of the neighbouring factory buildings in Monmore Road, and has been monitored by the Environment Agency amid complaints from neighbours.

Jones of Bilston owner Ted Alexander said last month work had begun to clear the rubbish, but added a third of the mound was due to fly-tipping and nothing to do with them.

Council spokesman Paul Brown said: "The council has embarked upon the legal process of regaining possession of the yard.

"The lease for the site is still running and until it is terminated the full responsibility for it rests with the tenants and the city council is not be able to take action to clean up the site.

"At the next court hearing, currently scheduled for February 28, the city council will be asking the court to forfeit the lease and grant the city council possession of the site. At the same time the city council will be asking the court to make an award in its favour for court costs as well as any rent arrears. The city council will then be in a position to assess the cost of clearing the site and will pursue those sums from the tenants."

Neighbouring businesses at the Monmore Road industrial estate said Jones of Bilston had left the site over a week ago, while the premises remained padlocked yesterday. The company was unavailable for comment.