Clean up your act, urge councillors in united call
Dirty needles in public toilets, abandoned tents and stomach-churning piles of human excrement are among discarded waste blighting our ‘beautiful’ area, disgusting community leaders.
The foul catalogue of dumped rubbish reported to sickened Oban and Lorn councillors has prompted a united call for the public – visitors and residents – to clean up their act.
Councillor Julie McKenzie who represents Oban and North Lorn on Argyll and Bute Council, told The Oban Times this week: ‘We are going in on this mob-handed, regardless of our politics, to ask people to do the right thing and show respect to our beautiful environment. We are absolutely unanimous in this.
‘Every single councillor of the Oban and Lorn Area Committee is being inundated with complaints from the entire area about the amounts of rubbish and flytipping going on. The problem is everywhere.
‘Dirty needles have been found in public toilets, rubbish has been dumped, tents and camping gear are being abandoned by our lochsides and human excrement are all being reported to us.
‘This is anti-social behaviour. We are also seeing more acts of vandalism. The police are being more pro-active but we do need the help of the public on this to clean up this mess.
‘We’re not blaming it all on visitors, it is locals as well, it’s been an ongoing problem. We as councillors want to make the appeal to people to think about their behaviour. We want to encourage people to come and enjoy our beautiful area, but we need to make sure we keep it beautiful,’ added councillor McKenzie.
A public message from the area committee read: ‘We welcome visitors and are happy for everyone to enjoy our wonderful area, but recently we have received reports of irresponsible and thoughtless behaviour which is causing anger and distress to residents. We are appealing in the strongest terms to all to be considerate and respect our countryside and beauty spots.
‘Please do not leave litter and refuse behind. Pick up, bin it or take it home. Our hard pressed amenities staff try to keep the area clear but we need everyone to assist, particularly in the present difficult circumstances, and would greatly appreciate your help.’
Over the weekend 47 cars were counted parked up in one troubled beauty spot at Glen Orchy where there are no toilets or bins, as well as 11 tents and one caravan. In Oban earlier this week, a van parked up on the roadside close to Dunollie Castle had a green toilet tent attached to it. At Ganavan, campervans and cars being slept in have been ignoring notices forbidding overnight camping.
Councillor McKenzie added: ‘This is a time of unprecedented pressure on public services and people engaging in littering and fouling our environment are putting even more pressure on the council and the police when they should be focusing on the pandemic and responding to that rather than cleaning up after people’s mess and chasing them for anti-social behaviour.’
Oban Community Council is working with Bid4Oban to produce banners to go up at litter hotspots around the town.
Community council chairperson Marri Malloy said Ganavan, McCaigs Tower and the steps at Jacob’s Ladder were problem areas.
‘It’s disgusting the rubbish that is being left, spoiling our town. I can’t understand why people do it. We are working with Bid4Oban on the wording for some banners to put up. There is a big problem at Ganavan and there are other places like Jacob’s Ladder, McCaig’s Tower and up by the Hydro.’
Maurice Wilkins of Keep Oban Beautiful said: ‘We were unable to organise the usual Oban Spring Clean this year owing to the lockdown, but it’s very heartening to see so many local people concerned about the state of our town and ready to go out there to pick up litter.
‘The fact remains, however, that unless the thoughtless minority can be persuaded to stop dropping it in the first place, the problem will never be overcome. It’s up to all of us – parents, schools, the council, local radio, the press, everyone – to put the word out that we won’t tolerate it anymore, that those responsible should think of others for a change.
‘It’s not just bottles, cans and carry-out boxes; it’s clothing, garden weeds, prunings, lawn mowings – and even lawnmowers – that are thrown over the nearest fence, and supermarket trolleys dumped in the Black Lynn or even in the harbour! We’re not out to name names, to bully people, but to educate and encourage.’