IT is good news that Cowdenbeath Area Committee has called for a report on a problem that has been plaguing the entire district.

Dog fouling has hit some parts worse than others but it is something that just will not go away.

At the last meeting it was pointed out that while there had been 99 complaints from the public there had only been one penalty notice handed out.

Councillors rightly felt that this was too little for such an issue which is constantly raised at their surgeries.

Green areas are constantly plagued by this problem and it is one that is not going to go away unless the unscrupulous people who simply refuse to clean up after their animals change their attitude.

At that meeting it was rightly pointed out that education could be a method of getting their message across.

The health problems that dogs' dropping can pose are significant but not well known, especially for children, so maybe by getting that sort of message across it could encourage some to pick up.

The report that is to go before the committee will look at some quick fixes and some longer ways of reducing the problem but things will take time and it is a big ask to have this process eradicate the problem.