TENANT COMPLAINS TO COUNCIL OVER ‘FLOODING’ IN ROAD GULLIES
Council insists no blockages were found
A TENANT is calling on Stoke-ontrent City Council to empty road gullies he says are flooding the area around his home.
Adrian Booth says the blocked grids near his property in Skipacre Avenue, Smallthorne, are causing a build-up of rainwater.
He has spoken to ward councillor Candi Chetwynd three times about the problem and has also approached the council multiple times.
But Stoke-on-trent City Council insist an inspection has shown the gullies aren’t blocked.
But Adrian, aged 66, said: “It’s in the entry at the back of my home and the rain is running over them and it’s flooding the bottom of the entry. They are full to the top and want emptying out but it’s falling on deaf ears.
“The one at the rear of my property is full to the top. The one at the top of the entry is full and the one at the bottom is full too so the water is just going nowhere.
“There’s a walkway at the bottom of the entry and this is just making everything a mess.
“You’ve got to go through water or walk all the way around to get to wherever you want to go.”
Adrian says he is ‘disappointed’ as the council used to regularly clean the gullies.
He added: “They keep putting the council tax up but we don’t get anything for it.
“The council has a responsibility towards its residents. I want the council to come out, empty these road gullies and keep them maintained.
“It won’t just be the road gully pots that will be full, the pipes will be full as well because there’s that much rubbish in, it’s got nowhere to go.
“It’s so frustrating because you think why bother? This has been brought up by somebody else on the estate too.
“The council needs to get their act together. I would imagine they are getting enough money to maintain things. They’ll probably say it’s because of cutbacks but they should have somebody on a regular basis to inspect them.”
Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for regeneration, infrastructure and heritage said: “When the gullies were reported to us, we inspected them and found no blockages or issues as described.”