Clean-up to help students leave city tidy

Concerns have been raised that the Hyde Park and Headingley areas of the city are blighted by litter and waste as students move in and out of properties in the area over the summer months.

Leeds City Council is now collecting bins on a daily basis, seven days a week, in Headingley, Hyde Park and Woodhouse.

Volunteers from the universities and student unions are running a service which means departing students can donate unwanted items for a good cause.

The clean-up marks the end of the academic year during which students are encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle. But a significant amount of rubbish has still been left on the streets in previous years as tenancies came to an end and people moved out.

The council’s executive member for the environment, Coun Mark Dobson, said: “The universities and student unions, working with the council, put a great deal of effort into helping students take more responsibility for their rubbish.”

The clean-up teams will be based in the area until July 7. Members of the public wanting to report any issues can phone 0113 222 4406.