Dispute over alley-gating schemes

JOHN LANCASHIRE locks the gates in the alleyway behind Timson Street, Failsworth

MONEY for hundreds of crime-busting schemes in Oldham has been halted by the ruling Liberal Democrat group, Labour claimed today.

Labour’s deputy leader on Oldham Council, Councillor Peter Dean, said requests for new schemes are made to the community safety unit at the rate of up to 10 a day.

But he said the Lib-Dem administration, which took control of the council in May, has effectively called a halt to new projects, despite crime rates plummeting wherever alleygates are installed.

He added: “I understand there are several hundred alleygating schemes waiting for funding. Community safety is consistently at the top of residents’ needs.

“Last year, more than £500,000 was spent on alleygating and CCTV projects by Oldham Council.

“The new Liberal Democrat administration has taken this money away, effectively calling a halt to the implementation of these community projects.”

But the Lib-Dem group’s deputy leader, Councillor Jackie Stanton, said there would be a new way of working, spreading the security schemes across the borough.

She said: “It can’t be right that alleygating schemes only go into a particular part of the borough because it has New Deal for Communities or Single Regeneration Budget money.

“Councillor Dean needs to remember who set up the community safety unit — it was the Liberal Democrats.

“He is absolutely right when he talks about safety, and we are not scrapping safety schemes at all.

“However, there is evidence that more and more CCTV is not working. Who monitors it and what happens to all the footage?

“We are looking at new ways of neighbourhood working. Other people in other parts of the borough should have a go as well.

“Area committees will decide their priorities along with other communities. We are just doing it a different way.

“Any schemes already prepared and processed will, I am sure, continue.”