Borough's bulky waste fees to triple

The authority says it is increasing the number of items which can be grouped

Charges for the removal of bulky waste items in Walsall are to rise next month, with the basic fee going up by 200%.

Walsall Borough Council says it has not taken the decision to increase prices lightly, but that it must recover the cost of providing the service.

The authority operates a tariff system, which charges for collections of items such as fridges and furniture, according to size and number of items.

The current basic charge for a collection is £10.

From 5 February this will increase to £30, with charges of £50 or £70 for larger collections.

The authority says it is increasing the number of items which can be grouped in each collection to improve value for residents.

Councillors in Walsall have announced charges will rise.

Councillor Kerry Murphy, portfolio holder for street pride, said: “We understand the impact this price increase may have on our residents, and while this has not been an easy decision, it is crucial for us to ensure the ongoing delivery of the bulky waste collection service. "

She added that the service is used frequently, with more than 15,000 bookings in the last year.

“We have carefully reviewed our options and believe that this revised tariff strikes the right balance between affordability and financial sustainability. "