DUDLEY Council is waging war on weeds and plans to spend £350,000 per year to tackle the growing problem.

Previous cuts to the authority's green care services have had "a very noticeable effect" on the borough, according to Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental services.

She said: “Overgrown grass and weeds that have become established and unsightly over the past two years makes the borough look untidy and clearly that is not acceptable to me or people who live, visit, and work in the borough.

"We have listened to local people’s concerns and made this firm commitment to do something about it."

The council has identified £350,000 worth of funding per year, which will be reinvested in green care services.

Grass will now be mowed at 130 sites which were previously removed from routine maintenance runs due to council cuts.

The cash will also fund litter collection in parks and open spaces, shrub bed maintenance and the maintenance of public rights of way.

A one-off £150,000 funding package will also be used to kick start clean-ups in specific areas this year.

"We have always believed in maintaining front line services and making the council work more efficiently," cllr Shakespeare continued.

"Cuts that have been made to these vital green care services over the past few years are Labour cuts, not Government cuts - the Government only provide us with the money, not tell us how to spend it."

She added: "I believe that quality of life and a clean tidy environment are an important part of making Dudley borough a great place to live work and relax.

"I hope by reversing these cuts it will give the people a pride in the area they live once again."