‘This is disgraceful’

OAP, 92, hits out at pupils over littering at city school

A PRIMARY school is launching a crackdown on “disgraceful” littering on surrounding land.

Residents have complained about crisp packets and empty bottles being dumped within the grounds of Sidlaw View Primary School i n Dundee’s Harestane Road, and on nearby streets.

Neighbour Stanley McColl, 92, is among those to have hit out at the state of the land around the school building.

He said there was a constant build-up of rubbish in and outside the grounds of the school.

Mr McColl, a retired council worker who used to work for the education department, told the Tele today: “The school is basically my neighbour and the litter is covering the streets.

“It is disgraceful — surely the council or the school staff can do something about it.

“It’s all empty bottles and crisp packets.

“However, it’s on the inside of the fence — in the actual school premises.”

Kevin Keenan, a councillor for the Strathmartine ward — which covers the school — said he was aware of issues around rubbish near the school.

He said: “I believe it may be coming down to how often the bins are being emptied.

“The children are being talked to about littering. I know the headteacher there and she is very committed to ending this issue.

“I will be bringing it back up again at meetings.”

A Dundee City Council spokeswoman said: “We undertake regular litter picking routes and work alongside schools to educate the city’s young people to be good neighbours and not to drop litter in the local area.”

Councillor Stewart Hunter, who’s also a member for the area and formerly served as the city’s education convener, said: “It is a very serious problem and we work with pupils so they don’t litter.

“The school takes it very seriously and I know that the school actively tries to prevent the problem from continuing any longer.”

Lord Provost Ian Borthwick, also a councillor for Strathmartine, said he has written to the school’s headteacher about the issue, adding: “If this continues, I will talk to the headteacher again.”

Stanley McColl has complained about the pupils’ rubbish.

Rubbish in the playground.