OUR latest councillor column comes from Cllr George Freeman (Independent, Lomond North).

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AS I have highlighted in past columns in the Advertiser, although we live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, we also have one of the dirtiest as far as litter is concerned.

Over the past month or two, as is the norm at this time of year, we have seen many people arrive from across the country to fish for mackerel at the Dalandhui.

This activity normally increases the level of litter that gathers in the parking areas on the B833 at the Dalandhui. Portincaple suffers from a similar problem – but as it is not adjacent to the public road, it does not bring the same level of complaints.

Whether it is down to the restrictions that have been in place over the past 17 months, or to other factors, the numbers of people turning up at the Dalandhui to fish has increased considerably this year. On a number of my visits over the past two weeks, I have found more than 14 cars crammed into the available parking area.

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Some of these cars had Glasgow City Council Private Hire badges stuck to their cars. Whether that was those who operate those vehicles out for a day’s fishing, or whether it was customers booking a Glasgow taxi to take them for an expensive day’s fishing on the west shore of the Gareloch, I cannot say.

At any rate, at the end of the day the result is predictable: we find litter strewn across the parking area. Some is put in black bags left at the side of the road – and which are, predictably, then torn open by gulls, crows and other birds, leaving the litter scattered along the side of the road.

Some people on Facebook appear to think that local councillors are doing nothing about this. That is not the case. I regularly report litter at this location to Argyll and Bute Council officials, and it is normally cleared within 24 hours.

We are also told to arrange for bins to be placed there. That has been done in the past, but the bins have ended up in the Gareloch or have just disappeared. As a result of what has happened in the past, council officers now refuse to provide bins at the Dalandhui.

With that in mind, I would plead with everyone, no matter where they have travelled from, to take their litter home. I would also encourage constituents to report such problems to the council or directly to me by email – george.freeman@argyll-bute.gov.uk – and I will certainly pursue the issue.