Students handed litter warning

The warning was made by Councillor Bob James who is campaigning to get more litter bins installed.

He wants them around Halesowen College's Whittingham Road campus. He wants at least three more bins after receiving numerous complaints from nearby residents.

Ten students were fined last year after Dudley Council enforcement officers saw them dropping rubbish.

Councillor James said litter was an ongoing concern for people living in his ward.

"I'm not saying it's entirely the students' fault because there just aren't the bins for them to put their rubbish in," he said.

"Litter is a real concern for people living near the college and I think three bins would be ideal to help solve the problem.

"Most of the complaints I get are from people complaining about the amount of litter and it's something we need to stamp out.

"There were 10 enforcement notices given out between April and September last year and I'd like the officers to be even more pro-active to help stamp the problem out once and for all.

"It's no good fining people without giving them the facilities to get rid of the rubbish in the first place."

Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council cabinet member for the environment and councillor for Halesowen North, admitted the area around the college was a blackspot for litter.

"We've been targeting areas where residents have a problem with litter and the area around the college is one which suffers greatly from litter problems," he said. "I have asked for another couple of bins to be installed in Whittingham Road so there can be no excuse from people caught dropping litter.

"There are lots of bins on the approach to the college and on the grounds and these extra bins will act as further encouragement for people to bin their litter."