Will council put money where its mouth is over untidy areas?

I WELCOME Hinckley and Bosworth Council’s decision to get tough with residents and business owners who allow their gardens to become overgrown and untidy.

Community Services Director Sharon Stacey was quoted in your report as saying the appearance of a neighbourhood not only affects the way residents and visitors view the area but also affects feelings of community cohesion and even safety, and that by tackling the minor issues in our communities, such as petty vandalism or damage we are likely to prevent further, more serious crimes from prevailing.

So I hope the council will lead the way and show they are serious about this by improving some of the land they themselves own and are responsible for maintaining.

For example, the ‘garage areas’ on the older estates are some of the scruffiest and worst cared-for spaces in the Borough. But they are centrally placed in neighbourhoods and with a little imagination could have enormous potential as community spaces. They could provide valuable amenities such as play areas, community gardens and pocket parks, and could play an important part in helping HBBC achieve its aim of creating ‘strong and distinctive communities’.

One such neglected garage area is at Bridge Road in Burbage. It is untidy and unlit, and both HBBC and Hinckley Police are aware of its use for drug dealing, vandalism, fly tipping and other antisocial behaviour. The grass areas are overgrown, some garages have asbestos roofs which are collapsing, and every time it is used as a storage space by contractors the hard surfaces are left more uneven and damaged. So I look forward to HBBC improving these areas and showing by example the standards of care they expect from the rest of us.

Mike George Sketchley Corridor Improvement

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