Plea for gates and cameras

WERNETH AREA COMMITTEE

TWO residents demanded alleygating and cameras in their streets after a constant battle with people dumping rubbish.

In one case, large items of furniture such as beds and washing machines were being tipped at the rear of Lincoln Street.

A resident said: “We need allegating because this has been an ongoing problem every week.”

Chairman of the area committee meeting, Councillor Fida Hussain, said he would take up the matter.

Another resident asked if CCTV could be installed in Christ Church Court to deter people dumping furniture close to the entrance, which was preventing refuse collectors getting into the building.

Chris Elliott, from the council’s environmental services department, said First Choice Homes had done extensive work around the site to make it safer by erecting fencing.

He added: “In terms of putting cameras in we will have to speak to First Choice Homes.”

But PC Mark Clough said problems had proliferated in the area, adding: “Cameras are no good if they are not monitored.

“They also need to be connected somewhere and to connect a camera to the council it would cost hundreds of pounds of cable per metre.

“We know that lighting is poor in the area and this has also attracted anti-social behaviour, but unless we are told about problems we can’t act upon them.

“Over the past few weeks a number of people have been arrested for aggravated burglary, drugs and drink-driving offences as a result of a joint operation with the council.”