5 February 2009, 09/27
Residents help put a stop to anti social behaviour on
Carfield!
Community power has resulted in an untidy piece of land in
Skelmersdale being spruced up and anti social behaviour on the site
reduced!
Residents from the Clay Brow and Holland Moor Estate Management
Board were given money from the £3.7m Safer Stronger Communities
Fund to inject life into an eyesore area of land on Carfield that
was attracting trouble from teenagers.
In the past, youths had been congregating on the unkempt site
and causing a nuisance to their neighbours. So residents thought
that tidying up the area would make the area look nicer and help
alleviate some of the problems.
With the help of West Lancashire District Council, a group of
residents went on a special ‘Spaces by Design’ course and applied
for funding to landscape the Carfield area. As a result, the
community designed their own project to improve the environment and
have already completed phase one of the project.
Local resident Ian Poulter said: "A few of us went on the
training course to learn how to develop community projects last
November. We’ve had real enjoyment from it because it’s only been
two months since we finished the course and we have completed phase
one of the Carfield project, which is helping the area. Our long
term aim is to get it back to the way it used to be years ago - a
place that we can be proud of and somewhere safe to walk
through."
Phase one has resulted in a more attractive area and because the
residents have taken ownership of the work, they are encouraging
the youths not to congregate on the site and are pointing them in
the direction of other fun activities that they can take part in
instead.
Cllr Ian Grant, Chairman of the West Lancashire Local Strategic
Partnership, said: "I’m delighted that the partnership has been
able to fund such a worthwhile project, which has benefited the
local community, the environment and has increased safety. Without
the enthusiasm and commitment from residents this would not have
happened."
This particular scheme is part of the wider overall aim to make
Digmoor, Moorside and parts of Tanhouse cleaner, greener and
safer.
Cllr Paul Greenall, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, said:
"One of the main themes of the Safer Stronger Communities Fund was
to empower local people and this initiative in Carfield shows that
residents do have a voice and can help to improve the quality of
life for their neighbourhood. I wish them success with the next
phase of the project."
For more information about the Safer, Stronger Communities Fund
contact the Neighbourhood Management Office on 01695 585207 or
email neighbourhood.management@westlancsdc.gov.uk.
Or visit the new West Lancashire Local Strategic Partnership
website - www.westlancslsp.org (external
link)
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