Residents’ alley pleas ‘ignored’

Residents unhappy about not getting alley gates.

A STREET has been left divided after residents who have battled unsuccesfully for 20 years to get an alleyway secured saw work carried out across the road.

People in Merton Avenue, Hollinwood, are demanding to know why Oldham Council has ignored their desperate pleas for help but found the money to alleygate other near-by streets.

They have suffered break-ins, vandalism, trespassing, anti-social behaviour, drug use and flytipping in the dilapidated alleyway.

The situation has created a bizarre postcode lottery on the same street and driven more youths to hang out in their alleyway and cause trouble.

Residents have dubbed it “the alley the council forgot”.

Resident Jean Berry said: “It is getting worse. We have problems with youths using the alley as toilets and almost every garage has been broken into. It’s one thing after another and we are all fed up with it.

“Other streets have the alleygates, even those across from us, and they have all had the backs resurfaced.”

A petition, signed by 13 of the 14 households living on that side of the street, was sent to the council but has had little effect.

Mrs Berry added: “They just say there’s no money. We just don’t seem to be getting anywhere. They just fob us off. Everyone wants the thing done, especially the ones with children as they could let them play in the back alley.”

The case mirrors a recent Chronicle story of a group of Clarksfield residents who, having spent 20 years locked in a battle with Oldham Council over improvements to an alleyway, won a £10,000 lottery grant to get the work done themselves.

Mrs Berry has approached one of the residents, Ted Witczak, for help but because alleygates are not already installed they can’t get lottery funding.

Mr Witczak said: “The Merton Avenue situation is absolutely horrendous. Everywhere around them has got alleygates but they have been refused. I feel really sorry for them.”

Council cabinet member for people and communities, Councillor Rod Blyth, said funding is limited and used where there’s most need, decided by police reports on burglary levels and anti-social behaviour, feedback from councillors and direct requests from residents.

He added: “Our records show that a number of burglaries and requests from residents led to one side of Merton Avenue being gated.

“However, the council has not received any direct requests from residents on the other side and the crime figures do not currently indicate it as a priority.”