Call for 'cost of littering' to be taught in South Tyneside schools after grotty problems in borough

Town hall chiefs have called for the cost of littering to be added to the school curriculum in South Tyneside.
Councillors have expressed dismay at littering problems in the boroughCouncillors have expressed dismay at littering problems in the borough
Councillors have expressed dismay at littering problems in the borough

Youngsters are already playing classroom catch up after missing months of lessons during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

But now leaders also think they should be made aware of how much their parents have to pay in council tax to rescue the rubbish which doesn’t make it into the bin.

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“Whether they’re up early in the morning or they’re there at lunchtime or late in the afternoon, [council staff] are working exceptionally hard in arduous conditions,” said Hebburn councillor John McCabe.

“I’m amazed at the work they do, but the only downside for me is the amount of litter disposed of by children at schools when they come out.

“If there’s something that should be on the curriculum at schools, is about how much that litter disposal costs their parents.”

Cllr McCabe was speaking at a meeting of South Tyneside Council’s Hebburn Community Area Forum (CAF).

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The borough chiefs’ spending plans for 2019/20 set a budget worth more than £21million for the council’s Asset Management and Design department, which includes its Waste and Green Spaces teams.

Cllr McCabe raised the prospect of the CAF writing to schools asking them to highlight the issue with pupils.

The idea was backed by CAF chairman Wilf Flynn, who added: “It’s ironic that a lot of the green agenda is pushed by young people, yet they don’t seem to think of that when they drop a piece of paper on the ground.”

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