Ghetto danger (From Barry And District News)

Ghetto danger

A BARRY councillor is warning that a housing estate could turn into a "slum" if it is not cleaned up quickly.

Gibbonsdown ward member Cllr Rob Curtis, and other local Labour councillors, are calling on the Vale council to tidy up the Colcot estate.

They say the area has become run down and neglected due to the amount of boarded up houses and piles of rubbish there.

Cllr Curtis said: "Local Labour councillors have been complaining about the void properties and the rubbish problem at Margaret Avenue, but the Conservative controlled council just does not act.

"One street, St Michaels Gardens, has eight flats, seven of which are boarded up.

"These flats were re-allocated from pensioner flats to young people, who need a lot of support and monitoring. But the Vale council has failed miserably.

"I am appalled and angry that the Colcot estate is being ignored by this council," added Cllr Curtis.

"Vital council homes have been left empty for years now. It is nothing short of criminal.

"If no action is taken soon the future is grim for the estate. It could end up as a slum."

Cllr Margaret Wilkinson, who also represents the Gibbonsdown ward, said pleas had been made to the council for years to reduce the number of void properties on the Colcot, and also Gibbonsdown.

"The empty boarded-up council properties make the area look run-down and neglected and the estate becomes a magnet for vandals," she said.

Barry town councillor Dennis Harkus described some of the scenes of rubbish and boarded up homes as "some of the worst I have seen in the whole of South Wales".

"The significant change of tenure of these flats over the last few years has undoubtedly had an impact on the local area, resulting in a serious decline in security and living standards," he added.

Colcot residents and traders share the same feeling as the labour councillors - the area needs a facelift.

Surah Nurton, of Winifred Road, said: "Turn into a slum? It already is a slum! There are so many boarded-up houses, people just throw rubbish into them.

"There's nothing to do for kids - they just hang around bus stops and vandalise things."

And Noreen Mason of Whitewell Road said: "People deliberately chuck out stuff on to the streets.