United against the fly tippers
Councillors make a stand on waste
Three Newmains councillors have put on a united front against fly tipping in the village.
Independent councillor Robert McKendrick was joined by the SNP’s Cameron McManus and Labour’s Louise Roarty as they hit out against people dropping their waste at the site known locally as the Wee Co-op.
Councillor McKendrick said: “The building is known in Newmains as the ‘Wee Co-op’ as it was part of the bigger co-operative group in the 50s and 60s.
“Since then it has been used as a grocers shop and as a youth hall known as The Outer Limits.
“A planning application was received at the council in 2010 for a change of use from vacant building to form a three bedroom dwelling house.
“However, the application was withdrawn in 2011.
“Some improvement work was carried out on the building in 2013 but since then it has been left empty with no further work.
“Following several complaints about this issue I have been in touch with the council’s planning, building control and environmental departments.
“I have requested the council contact the owner of the property, have the possibility of a public health nuisance removed, have the site secured as soon as possible and make sure there is no further fly tipping.”
Newmains is just the latest area to be hit by the scourge of fly tipping in the past few months.
Last week Tory MSP Graham Simpson labelled fly tipping as a modern day scourge after seeing the damage caused my mindless louts in the country lanes near Bonkle.
Last month, a fly tipper, caught dumping rubbish in Craigneuk, was handed a fine after he was caught red-handed after police teamed up with North Lanarkshire Council’s Environmental Services department.
And, in Wishaw, one of the worst areas of fly tipping in the centre of the town was cleaned following a special investigation by this newspaper.
The area behind the Cross Keys Inn and the former Crown Hotel was the subject of a major clean-up operation.