Senior Conservative dismisses plea for help from Peasedown residents - 13th Sep '09 E-mail

 Lib Dem Councillors in Peasedown St John have criticised a decision by Conservative-run B&NES Council not to gate-off a path that has caused residents to experience anti-social behaviour and petty crime for a number of years.

Residents living in Morgan Way, Peasedown St John have been the victims of persistent anti-social behaviour as a result of the location of an unlit path behind their homes.

Sample Image
Cllrs Hartley and Bevan outside the Guildhall, Bath, with a copy of the Community Safety Plan which makes no reference to Gating Orders or the plight of Morgan Way residents in Peasedown St John.

The path, which serves no purpose as a thoroughfare, was considered for gating-off last year but 12 months later local Councillors are dismayed that no action has been taken by the Council and thus anti-social behaviour has continued.

Local Councillor Sarah Bevan (Lib Dem, Peasedown), who has been a leading campaigner for gating-off the path, said:

“At the February meeting of B&NES Council, local resident Anita Henderson presented a petition of 120 names asking for the Council introduce a Gating Order Policy and arrange for the path to be closed off as soon as possible.

I am very frustrated that despite this, the Conservative in charge of Community Safety believes this issue is not serious enough.”

The proposal has the support of PACT, the local Police, and both Highways and Enforcement Officers of B&NES Council.

During last Thursday’s B&NES Council meeting, seven months after the petition had been presented, Cllr Nathan Hartley (Lib Dem, Peasedown) criticised the Conservaties for their lack of action. He said:

“The residents of Morgan Way should not have to put up with this level of anti-social behaviour and I am very disappointed that those that hold the purse strings on B&NES Council have ignored the plea for help from mine and Cllr Bevan’s constituents.

This issue has gone on for years, and the Conservatives should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of help, interest and support.”

Also present at the meeting was North East Somerset Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Gail Coleshill. She commented:

“I am very disappointed for the residents of Morgan Way who have waited so long for appropriate action only to be let down by the Council. This is another example of the Conservatives having no realistic policies or proposals for tackling the issues local people face in their communities.”

The issue was debated as part of the Community Safety Plan 2009-2012 during the September Full Meeting of B&NES Council on 10th September.

< Prev   Next >