MacAskill sees justice being done in Dunfermline

CRIMINALS put to work clearing icy pavements met Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill yesterday.

He met offenders at a sheltered housing complex in Dunfermline. Young people carrying out community service have been clearing snow from pavements at the complex since before Christmas.

Mr MacAskill said: “This is a great example of a council responding quickly during this unprecedented cold spell. They immediately put their community service squads to work clearing the pavements around the homes of the elderly before Christmas.”

He said similar work was being done across Scotland, with community service squads at work in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands, clearing pavements around hospitals, schools and the homes of elderly people.

“In Falkirk, offenders have been helping deliver an essential service to the elderly,” said Mr MacAskill, “and in Lanarkshire they are helping ensure that delivery of aids and adaptation equipment goes ahead.”

Fife Council’s head of housing, Derek Muir, said: “This simple act of clearing snow will help give our residents much-welcomed safer access to the outdoors so they can, if they wish, enjoy the crisp winter sunshine in the coming days ahead and meet the aim of what sheltered housing should be about.”

The council’s sheltered housing service provides about 1,200 tenancies at 48 sites.