Anger at school grit bin ‘theft’

A parish councillor has lashed sneak thieves who took the entire contents of a grit box usually used to clear the playground at entrances at a village school.

Diggle Primary School was forced to create limited access to and from the school for its 180 pupils when staff discovered grit and a shovel had been taken from the yellow-painted box in the school yard.

Head teacher Mrs Angela Covey, said: “The missing grit created an extra layer of problems when the school reopened. It was very irksome.

“We have to make sure all the paths to the entrances are safe for children, parents and staff.

“We filled the grit box before the Christmas break at the school’s own expense. But when we came to use the grit on paths at the start of the new term, it had all gone.

“The bin was completely empty — even the shovel had been taken too. We have had to replenish the stock.”

And Saddleworth parish councillor, Royce Franklin, who lives in Diggle, said: “Whoever was responsible for this theft, because that is what it was, should be thoroughly ashamed.

“The grit was purchased by the school for school use. The actions of the culprits has caused a great deal of inconvenience. The cold weather has shown most people in good light. There have been vast numbers prepared to help their fellow man. In this instance the reverse applies.”

In a letter to parents, Mrs Covey said: “We make every effort to keep the school open taking into consideration the safety of the site for children, parents and staff and weather conditions.

“Our problems have been compounded by our grit bin being emptied over the Christmas break apparently by locals who wrongly thought the grit was council property and available for residents to use on roads and footpaths.”

Local parish priest, Rev Duncan Rhodes, is a school governor and member of the Diggle Community Assoc-iation executive.

He said: “Even taking into account the strain recent weather conditions have imposed, I am sad to see any signs of lack of community cohesion which is normally so strong in Diggle. It was an abuse of a private salt supply.”

Two weeks ago, Councillor Mark Alcock, Oldham cabinet member for the environment and infrastructure, ann-ounced the council is adopting a zero tolerance policy to grit bin thieves.

And in two unrelated incidents, drivers who emptied the complete contents of grit bins into the back of their vehicles have been reported to police.