Fewer needles found in area

Council officials highlight figure

There has been a huge drop in the number of discarded needles found in the Stirling area in the first two months of the year.

A total of 28 needles was collected by Stirling Council staff between January 1 and February 29 compared with 126 for the same period in 2015.

Castle ward continued to have the highest number of needles found, but last year’s figure of 48 for the twomonth period had dropped to 21.

The figure included 13 in the Mercat Cross community and eight in Cornton (down from 25 and 23 respectively.

None was found in the Stirling West area in stark contrast to the 38 needles found in January and February 2015. That figure had included 26 in Borestone and two in Braehead.

Officials told Stirling Council’s health and safety panel last week: “The 28 discarded needles includes used and unused injecting equipment. This represents a significant decrease since the same period in 2015.

“The Safer Communities team continues to use this data to inform action at the Multi-Agency Task and Co-ordinator meetings (MATAC).

“In this period, the highest number of needles have been collected in the Castle ward which mirrors the pattern from 2015.

“Close links remain with the Harm Reduction Team from Signpost Recovery who have established a dedicated outreach route to address areas highlighted as problematic by the Alcohol and Drug Partnership and the Safer Communities team.

“The Harm Reduction team and Safery Communities team continue to try to identify individuals who may be requiring support and will continue to work with them to support recovery.”

In Bannockburn ward the January/ February figure dropped from 26 to five, Stirling East from 13 to just one and in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, where just one was found last year, none was discovered.

In terms of communities, the only one to see an increase was Plean from zero to one.

Cowie meanwhile dropped from 21 to four, Broomridge from nine to one, and King’s Park from 12 to zero, with Polmaise from five down to none.

None was found in Dunblane, Hillpark and Milton, and Riverside, which each had one needle found discarded in the same period in 2015.

The Observer reported earlier this year that 50 needles were found in a single black bag dumped near Bannockburn in the run up to Christmas councillors have been told, accounting for almost half of the 122 discarded needles - both used and unused - collected by Stirling Council staff across the Stirling area in the period from November 1 to December 31.

Council workers had discovered the bag during a routine clean up at the A91 from Greencornhill Roundabout to Skeoch Roundabout.