SYRINGES are still being found in a laneway outside Albion Primary School, six months after Brimbank Council launched a monitoring program.
Principal Matt Coughlan last week welcomed the council’s decision to continue the program following a trial.
Mr Coughlan said while the situation had improved in the past six months, streets around the school continued to be riddled with signs of antisocial behaviour and drug use.
“We haven’t found a syringe in the laneway this month yet, but it certainly still remains an issue. It’s been a part of the way we’ve operated for more than five years and we continue to educate the students on the dangers.”
The council last year rejected calls to close the laneway on the western boundary of the school and instead opted to launch the trial of closed-circuit television surveillance to deter drug users.
Council officers also visited the laneway each morning, picking up used syringes and empty bottles.
Last December, the Weekly reported that up to 20 syringes and beer bottles were being found in the laneway each day.
CCTV cameras were installed in the laneway in December, but Mr Coughlan said they were stolen within weeks. He said three pupils found dirty syringes in a phone booth across the road from the school last week.
During parent-teacher interviews earlier this year, parents and children were shocked to see drug users injecting drugs in the laneway.
Council’s general manager of community well-being, Neil Whiteside, said council officers would continue to visit the laneway each day.
He said police would continue to monitor nearby Derrimut, Adelaide and Albury streets.
“The council is currently investigating other safety measures with Victoria Police on how to address drug usage and inappropriate disposal of syringes,” Mr Whiteside said.
“We will continue to liaise with representatives from Albion Primary School to determine whether the measures the council are taking are having an impact.”
He said police were finalising a safety assessment which would look at the possibility of motion sensors, flood lighting, additional pruning of trees to increase visibility and a letter-drop encouraging residents to report incidents.
