The first begging boxes aimed at driving beggars off Scotland's urban streets have been installed in Aberdeen.

The hope is that the public will express their support for the homeless and those with problems in their lives by contributing to the boxes rather than giving to individuals.

It is also hoped those in genuine need will be better supported while those who beg as "a lifestyle choice" and are often accused of intimidating the public will be driven off the streets by a new by-law.

But Aber-deen Cyrenians, one of the charities likely to benefit from the scheme, has expressed concerns and those who are forced to beg say the council would be better spend-ing its money in providing places in shelters.

The council has been trying to rid Aberdeen's streets of beggars for several years since a police investigation found three out of four of the 25 regular city-centre beggars were begging to fund drug or alcohol habits and were receiving around £7 an hour or £14,500 a year.

An attempt to have a by-law introduced banning begging was rejected by the Scottish Executive, although officials have agreed to revisit the decision after a similar request from Edinburgh City Council.

Begging boxes have been introduced in a number of English cities with claims of varying degrees of success, but in Nottingham it is said to have reduced begging by 85%.

Up to 10 boxes will be located around Aberdeen city centre in prominent sites.

Councillor Martin Greig, chairman of Aberdeen's Community Safety Partnership, said: "The boxes are intended to discourage people giving money directly to beggars and donations will go towards practical help such as shelter, food and clothing for those in need." Charities will have to bid for a share of the money that is collected.

"I think street beggars are a problem in every city and here in Aberdeen we are trying to make it a safer and a more attractive city," said Mr Greig.

"Even when there is no aggressive behaviour, street begging can be intimidating and threatening to members of the public."

However, John Hannan, of Aberdeen Cyrenians, said: "I simply don't think it will work." He said there were two groups of people, those begging between 8pm and 2am around the pub areas who were simply looking for money and those who went begging during the day, most of whom had drug and alcohol problems.

Begging had the benefit of preventing them being involved in crimes such as shoplifting but also helped them interact.

"I don't think that you can ban people from the streets and there is a wide range of people who stop to give money.

"Most of them exchange a few words and a relationship develops and that is why they give money.

I don't think the public will put much money into these boxes and I think that the money will continue to go to the beggar rather than the box.

"If it does work that will be fine and we are hopefully getting money from the council to employ a person to go out on the streets and spend time with those who are begging to find out what their needs are and work with them to get them off the streets."

Mr Hannan said there was not enough access to drug treatment for those who wanted it and that sort of assistance could help them stabilise their lives.

"There were also an increase in rough sleeping which indicated there was not enough accommodation."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen earlier this week took a step in its attempt to become the first city in Scotland to ban airguns.

A proposal to introduce a by-law was passed by a council committee and a report on how it can be achieved will be produced.



We're not going to get anything from this'
He has been a street beggar for many years following the break-up of his marriage - battling against the elements to collect enough money to survive - but Tony Baxter says Aberdeen City Council's move shows it doesn't care about the homeless. The 49-year-old former electrician said: "The council doesn't care about us. It just wants to get rid of us. "It's bloody hard being a beggar. We've got to sit out in the cold, the wet, and the snow but we're not going to get anything from this. "All the money from this scheme will go on the wages of administration staff but we won't even get enough to buy a cup of tea." Mr Baxter, who sits with his dog Brett in the city's Union Street, said: "If people want to give me money they will. "I've seen people walk by those with charity boxes because they know I will get the money and not the guy who's being paid £9 an hour. "The council's money would be better spent reopening the hostels they closed down and giving beggars a place of refuge." He added: "We don't want to be sitting out in the street but we have to because we're desperate."