THE Safer Communities team in the Cowdenbeath area is working with partners to try and curb the recent rise in flytipping.

Since lockdown started in March there have been several areas that have been badly hit, including parts of Cowdenbeath and Benarty, along with the Westfield site between Ballingry and Kinglassie.

Cowdenbeath Area Committee was told that there were six Safer Communities Officers based in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area.

Team manager, Kirstie Freeman, said that illegal dumping was an activity which had been causing people a lot of concern over the past few months.

Committee vice convener, Councillor Rosemary Liewald fully agreed, and added: "We have had many parts of our area attacked by flytippers ranging from litter to tyres, to furniture and building rubble being simply thrown in the countryside.

"I believe the Street Champions idea has been producing results in parts of the county and I wondered if that was something that we would see developed here."

Ms Freeman said that it was something that was producing results and it was planned that the further development of partnerships in the Cowdenbeath area would help towards persuading people to stop this illegal act.

Councillor Alex Campbell said that it was a situation which was causing the countryside to be blighted and he was sure that the CSOs would be working hard to look to improve things. He was also impressed with the way that officers were delighted to work with councillors on issues.

Committee convener, Councillor Linda Erskine, added: "The Community Safety team has been doing some excellent work throughout the Covid-19 crisis and they have been quick to react to problem situations."