GOVANHILL residents gathered more than 100 bags of rubbish from back courts and streets in the area during a day of action.

Yesterday campaign group Living Rent organised a day of action in the community with a litter pick in the morning followed by a protest outside Queen's Park.

Now the group is calling for a meeting with council bosses to ask for long term solutions to the area's issues with flytipping, litter and pest control.

A GMB cleansing convener said: “GMB trade union alongside Living Rent are calling on Glasgow City Council to introduce a backcourt team in Govanhill.

"This would assist refuse collectors and provide a service that’s badly needed to help with health and safety issues for GMB members and the public.”

Glasgow City Council said it had made millions of pounds of investment in the area over several years.

But locals claim said this had not been targetted correctedly and that they would like to see the resinstatement of dedicated backcourt cleansing teams. 

Yesterday's day of action was organised as part of a joint campaign by Living Rent’s Govanhill branch and GMB’s City Council branch.

Glasgow Times:

As well as backcourt teams, the campaign also calls for greater enforcement to crack down on flytipping in the area and more accessible education on recycling and waste disposal.

Govanhill resident Kieran Pradeep said: “It has been a difficult time - I have seen exterminators more than I have seen my own family this year.

"The area is in crisis and we desperately need support from the City Council.

"Our cleansing workers need the right investment behind them.

"As residents who take pride in our area, we need action from the council on people who flytip in Govanhill.

Glasgow Times:

"Often we see rogue landlords dumping bulky waste, businesses ignore the rules and people driving through our neighbourhood thinking they can dump their rubbish here.”

Living Rent said one of its representatives has contacted Councillor Anna Richardson to ask for a meeting of residents, cleansing workers and elected officials to discuss long-term solutions to the area’s problems.