The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spoke to the press at the waste disposal centre in Bloxwich yesterday, about an initiative in the borough to tackle fly tipping.

Mr Gove talked about how he plans to clean up the streets of the Midlands, and combat fly-tipping, by proposing harsher fines on those responsible and raising public knowledge of the alternatives available.

This comes after Walsall Council spent nearly £426,000 on cleaning up and disposing of the refuse left by tippers. Speaking to reporters, Mr Gove mentioned plans to implement a higher tax on 'wasteful plastics' used in packaged items.

He praised Walsall Councils attempts to catch those responsible and their efforts to re-introduce fortnightly brown bin collections, allowing residents the chance to dispose more easily of green waste. Mr Gove said:

“I'm here because Walsall Council have been targeting the cowboys who have been responsible for fly tipping more effectively than other councils and the Walsall's Most Wanted website points the finger at the bandits responsible.

At the same time, they're extending the opening hours of the tip in Bloxwich and they're re-introducing fortnightly bin collections. I think all of these things together show you have a Conservative council that's working for all residents."

He went on to say that air pollution caused by offences like fly tipping is the 'biggest environmental cause of public health damage in this country, calling on authorities in built up cities like Birmingham, Manchester and London to help minimise the impact by putting measures in place along the same lines as Walsall Council.