Bin mess is just not cricket, say parents

They say the lack of refuse collection is leaving rotting food and other rubbish to accumulate with the risk of attracting vermin near where young kids play and walk to and from school.

One angry father of two, Mark Hamilton, who lives close to the pitches, raised the alarm saying he doesn’t want this mess near his home where he brings up his young toddler and a new baby of just three weeks old.

He told The Extra: “Since it was announced that a cricket club would be taking over the use and maintenance of the ground, there has been no movement to clear the mess up. All of the bins are overlowing and it’s getting ridiculous.

“Someone has to be responsible for this.”

A council press release issued earlier this year confirmed an agreement with East Ren cricket club to lease the grass pitches at Woodfarm to the for a peppercorn fee of just £1. In return, the club will offer East Ren schools free coaching and be responsible for the management and maintenance of the pitches and drainage at the site.

A spokesman for the cricket club, while confirming these intentions, told The Extra that no lease has been signed yet.

Yet, the council is very clear that it’s not their mess.

A spokeswoman told The Extra: ““From the day the cricket wicket was installed at Woodfarm pitches the responsibility for all maintenance became that of East Renfrewshire Cricket Club.”