We want to make Sandwell the cleanest borough in the West Midlands

We are introducing modern, efficient street sweeping machines for each town – which collect rubbish, not simply sweep it aside. We will concentrate on high streets and hotspots near high streets, but also regularly patrol residential streets.

We are introducing a dedicated Environmental Rapid Response Team, which will go into areas identified as overgrown and neglected. They will clean up the area, and take measures to prevent it from deteriorating again, but also investigate why it has got into that state, check out the ownership of the land, and ensure enforcement action if necessary, before handing it over to routine maintenance crews. We estimate we can identify and clean up over 100 sites within the first year.

Fly-tipping blights an area, and it is criminal. We will step up enforcement using mobile technology to try to identify perpetrators and fine them. We will also raise awareness amongst residents that hiring an unlicensed ‘man with a van to dispose of items could result in flytipping and land them with a fine.

We are introducing new Smartphone Apps that will enable residents to report issues such as fly-tipping, graffiti, and dog fouling direct to the council, together with a photograph. This will give the council GPS tracking information providing the exact location, enabling us to respond quickly, but also help us to deploy wardens to hotspot areas.

We will use mobile technology attached to council vehicles with number plate recognition software to help to identify untaxed, and potentially abandoned vehicles and speedily get them removed.

Currently graffiti on private buildings is the responsibility of the owners. However, it is unsightly, detracts from the area and attracts more graffiti. We will give owners details of how they can remove it and give them a deadline for removal. If they fail or are unable to do it, the council will remove it for them and re-charge them.