A RESIDENT is calling for schools and parents to do more to educate youngsters in keeping the streets of Leek clean and tidy.
Franz Opitz has collected around 500 empty soft drink cans from school routes in the west end of the town over the past five weeks.
The 65-year-old, of Brackendale, Leek, said: “The litter dropped in the Westwood area of Leek, chiefly along the typical school runs and walks, is nothing short of awful. It is not getting better, but worse.
“I have written to Westwood College - evidence suggests that its students are the main culprits – and gained the sympathy of the teaching staff. But they, too, are limited in their powers to do anything about it.
“It is truly a disgrace and does not bode well for the future.
“It’s quite clear to me that the litter is not coming from normal citizens due to the areas where the litter is. During the halfterm there was no litter all week.” Mr Opitz now donates discarded cans to a recycling charity. He added: “Of course it would be better if the litter was not there in the first place.
“I think parents should do a lot more to impress on their children to bring their litter home to dispose of. It does not take any time or money to put an empty can in your rucksack and put it in a bin when you see one or when you get home.” Mr Opitz added that he has asked Westwood College if a monthly litter pick could be carried out in the area by students.
Executive Principal at Westwood College, Keith Hollins, told the Post & Times: “The college has been in correspondence with Mr Opitz regarding the issue of litter around the periphery of our site.
“On our site we have a weekly litter pick, completed by tutor teams. We also have an additional team of students who pick up litter as part of environmental awareness on our site.
“We have raised the issue in both assemblies and tutor groups, reminding the students that they have a responsibility to their community not to drop litter.” Mr Hollins stressed that staff could not send students off site to pick up litter in the surrounding streets due to health and safety reasons.
He added: “We are very grateful to Mr Opitz for raising the matter with us, and take our responsibility very seriously. We would also ask our parents to reinforce our message.” Michelle Walters, aged 39, who lives in Leek, has two children at Westwood College.
She said: “There is a big problem with litter – not just around the school walk areas but also by some of the shops like the late shop in Picton Street.
“I think that the education should come from the schools, more so than parents, by teachers continuing to reiterate about not dropping litter and that there are fines for dropping litter.”
