A free council skip for bulky waste is set to be made available to Govanhill residents to help cut fly-tipping. 

Councillor Elaine Gallagher said fly-tipping is a “serious issue” in the area and has suggested a skip should be put out for regular use, such as once a fortnight. 

Speaking at this week's Southside Central Area Partnership meeting, the Scottish Green politician also called for a back court clean-up. 

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A council official warned the move had previously been trialled elsewhere but it got abused by businesses disposing of commercial waste. 

Councillor Soryia Siddique said there are problems with bulky items in back courts and residents have been in touch about the messy state of the neighbourhood. 

The council decided to start charging for bulky waste items across the city in 2021 after it was previously free of charge. 

Councillor Siddique, Labour,  said: “Residents are contacting us. Some of it is affecting their mental health. It is important to listen to residents. What keeps coming up again and again is enforcement.”

Community representative Andy Carberry said skips used to be made available in Govanhill but it was “abused” by local shops in the area. 

He said: “If you put a skip into Govanhill it would have to be thought carefully about so it is for the benefit of residents and not shops.”

Mr Carberry said the skip would need to be supervised. 

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A discussion took place about what specific area partnership funding could be used to pay for the skip.

Councillor James Scanlon said the cash could be taken from the £1 million pot the council awarded the partnership for infrastructure spend. 

The Labour councillor said: “Residents in Govanhill want a clean Govanhill.”

Councillor Gallagher asked a council officer to calculate the costs of putting out a skip on a regular basis in Govanhill and for a periodic clean up in the area.

The information is due to be brought back to a meeting for the partnership to consider.