iStockPolice have been urged to crack down on street drinking.
West Lothian councillors complained having witnessed youths drinking on the street in Broxburn at the weekend.
Councillor Angela Doran-Timson told community sergeant Iain Wells that two men were regularly buying drink for teens in the main street in the town.
Councillor Doran-Timson said: “On Saturday I went down to Broxburn Main Street, and what I saw just wasn’t right.”
She told a meeting of the Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh local area committee that two individuals were “going in four or five times a day” to buy drink for groups of teenage girls and boys, with the exchange taking place in the Vennel.
Councillor Doran-Timson added: “What my constituents have asked is why is there no police presence, undercover police presence.
“Police have gone by in vans and there are teens sitting at the bus stop outside the Post Office drinking.
“My understanding was that you are not allowed to drink in public. They weren’t hiding it, but they were being quite leery.
“If you were going to stop off for a coffee in Broxburn, you wouldn’t if you saw that kind of behaviour.”
Police have dealt with under-age drinking and antisocial behaviour in the Stewartfield area, including the setting of fires.
Sergeant Wells said: “We get about 180 calls every day in West Lothian. We may have taken our eye off the ball on this one.
“I will ask our community officers to a have a look at this.”
He added that the police work with licensing staff in the council and are also working on an initiative regarding alcohol licensing in shops.
He urged councillors to pass on complaints, adding: “As I say, we get 180 calls a day. We will miss things.
“What you have had cascaded down to you is that we have these two gentlemen buying drink for these groups. Let us know. We can get resources on it.”
By local democracy reporter Stuart Sommerville
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