Team formed to begin clean up operation over town’s ‘grotty’ areas..
Dossier shows 20 parts of town where work needed
A PHOTOGRAPHIC dossier of evidence showing town ‘grot spots’ has been compiled as work starts to get Leek spruced up.
Town councillors have asked Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to help bring the town centre back up to standard as shoppers and visitors return following lockdown.
The pictures showed more than 20 areas of the town centre where urgent work was required, which would involve cleaning and painting town centre assets including benches, lamps and railings.
At last week’s meeting of Leek Town Council, an email was received from Katy Webster, an asset manager at High Peak Borough Council/staffordshire Moorlands District Council.
The email, which was read out by mayor Councillor Stephen Wales, said: “An internal mini-project team has been formed and have met to determine responsibilities.
“The town has been surveyed and we have checked the actions and formulated a plan based in the spreadsheet you sent through. All the low level accessible work (mostly around benches, railings bollards, signages etc) has been jet washed by the Streets team.
“We are formulating lists of painting required. We will need to use different contractors depending on the nature of the work (high level/low level etc).”
Ms Webster added: “The Market Place lantern has been repainted and we are waiting on quotes to replace the ‘glass’ which actually turned out to be Perspex that has turned opaque over time.
“Separate quotes are being obtained for the bigger and costlier elements including the repainting of the under canopy at the bus station and the remedials and repaint of the bandstand in Brough Park. These will take longer due to the nature of what is required.
“Hanging baskets will be erected in early June. I will let you know when we have agreed the painting quotes and when we have a start date from the contractors, and will accompany this with a general update against the action plan.”
Councillor Wales said: “I think this is a positive step and the undertaking of these works by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council should be applauded. The partnership between Leek Town Council and the SMDC is of critical importance to the town.”
Councillor Richard Benefer highlighted the need to check a problem with water dripping on a bench at Leek bus station. He said: “I think there has been a design fault with a bench on the bus station. There is an overflow pipe dripping on to a bench which needs sorting.”
I think this is a positive step and the undertaking of these works...should be applauded. Councillor Stephen Wales