‘Rosy’ picture of life near homeless block

SNP man critical of image portrayed to council

A “rosy picture” has been painted of an area described by residents as a “living nightmare”.

In November, a 97-signature petition was presented to Stirling Council’s environment and housing committee after neighbours described living near a 15-flat council homeless block in Stirling’s Middlemuir Road as “hellish.”

Nearby residents told councillors the flats had sparked anti-social behaviour, homophobic abuse and late night police and ambulance activity.

While housing officials and the police had said statistics did not support the claims in the petition, councillors had asked for more in-depth work to be done.

Updating the committee last Thursday, the officials said there had only been one recorded incident in the interim - although this was disputed by some of committee members.

All residents of Middlemuir Road and Borrowlea Road had received a hand-delivered letter at the end of November providing contact details for reporting anti-social behaviour, nuisance behaviour and criminal activity.

A consultation exercise was also carried out in December asking residents if they were aware of the petition and if they had any concerns or reports of antisocial or criminal activity. Those who did not respond were left a calling card.

Officials told the committee that officers had spoken with 13 residents or their relatives with the following results: three advised they had no issues; one referred to an incident in 2015 which had already been recorded; four focussed on dog fouling and littering; two reported groups of youths and drinking; and one reported damage to a van but was unable to identify the culprits.

CCTV had also been “thoroughly checked” and was found to be in full working order. The cameras continue to be monitored by the council’s security contractors from 5pm to 9am Monday to Friday and throughout the weekend.

“There has only been one occasion since October 2016 when police were called in relation to a domestic abuse incident,” added officials. “For some reason three vans arrived in 15 minutes and that’s the only incident we have had reported to us since the last meeting.

“Police officers continue to make visits to the Middlemuir Road area on occasion in relation to non-emergency business such as missing persons, police statements, citation deliveries and various other day-to-day police activities.”

Committee chair Councillor Danny Gibson said: “This wasn’t an issue which had been raised to me prior to the petition being lodged but that’s why we have a process in place.

“But it seems to have been a period of calm which is positive.”

Opposition SNP housing spokesperson Councillor Alasdair Macpherson said both he and local councillor Gerry McLaughlan had been sent updates and photographic evidence by the main petitioners of at least six different occasions when police vans had turned up since the previous committee meeting. He added: “This is not as rosy as is being portrayed.”

Council officials said: “I’m aware the petitioner sends in photographs of police vans regularly. They will be there for a variety of reasons, some for comfort reasons because we have some vulnerable residents. Some will arrive in ‘riot’ vans because that’s the vehicles they have available. Some may be return visits because the person they were there to see wasn’t in.”