Whalley Range Green Space Neglected by Labour

6.26.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 22nd Jan 2007

"Six months, eight council officers and a housing association later, and still no-one in the council will take responsibility for the eyesore on Range Road, on which the council spent money in the past", says Whalley Range Liberal Democrat Councillor John Grant.

War damage has left various plots of land vacant and one of these on Range Road is in the Whalley Range Conservation Area. It has become an eyesore. Local residents were delighted when the council announced it would spend some money to create a small green space. The council had not been able to identify the owners of the land whose responsibility this would normally be.

"Groundwork" undertook the project. Local residents were disappointed that the plans they saw were never completed but the site was at least improved. It has now deteriorated into an eyesore again and the council now admit that no money was set aside to maintain the project; as this is private land, maintenance is "not their responsibility".

Liberal Democrat Councillor John Grant said:

"I am appalled that council money was spent like this without ensuring that a process for maintaining the land was in place. It now looks awful and local people are quite rightly asking what is happening. The council won't do anything to maintain the land. Everybody seems to be trying to pass the buck. We have so far been passed round 8 council officers. I am pressing the chief executive to identify a responsible officer to meet us on-site with representatives of the local community."

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