Call for security gates

Call for security gates

30 October 2019

COUNCIL officials have been accused of dragging their feet in providing gates and security fences to protect pensioners living in a Downpatrick housing estate.

The Model Farm Community Association has condemned what it describes as “repeated delays” by Newry, Mourne and Down Council in erecting the planned gates and fences near pensioners’ homes in the Ballymote Walk area.

The area has been blighted by repeated outbreaks of anti-social behaviour by unruly teenagers and residents say gates and fencing are vital for their protection.

Temporary steel and wooden barriers were put in place two years ago, but they have been damaged and repaired on numerous occasions.

Association chairperson Kyla Hannaway slammed what she described as an “overly bureaucratic” approach for causing the delays.

She said the delays were in spite agreement being reached after consultation with the police, Housing Executive, Department for Infrastructure, Ambulance Service and other agencies.

“It was agreed with all the other partners that urgent action needed to be taken and the Housing Executive found a budget to block up most of the back alleys,” Ms Hannaway remarked.

“The delays this year are down to the council re-starting the consultation process with the interagency partners and the residents all over again where they could have used the consultations completed by the Housing Executive last year.”

Local pensioner Deirdre Smyth said: “We are a forgotten minority up here. We are being terrorised in our homes and our property is being damaged.

Mrs Smyth said it was almost impossible to report incidents to the police.

“If we can get through the police often don’t respond,” she continued. “These temporary gates have been being put up for almost two years now. Torn down and put up again. It’s the residents who suffer, not the council people for delays in signing off on the work 

that needs to be done”.

The residents are being supported by local Independent councillor Cadogan Enright, who accused the council of being “not exactly on top of their game”.

He said: “The need for fences and gates to make the area into a cul-de-sacs was triggered by an emergency situation where pensioners were and still are under siege by a small number of ne’er-do-wells, culminating with the actual burning down of a pensioner’s cottage.

“The council have not been treating this as an emergency. Were it not for the Housing Executive repeatedly replacing the eight temporary steel and wood barriers week after week when they are torn down, the area would be unviable as an area where pensioners can live.”

He added: “I have proposed a workshop between the social partners led by the PSNI, Housing Executive, council and other partners to agree in detail a step-by-step process for gating orders in writing so that we never again have such a series of dreadful delays.”

A spokesman for the council said last night: ”Newry, Mourne and Down District Council can advise that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has applied to the council for gating orders in the Model Farm area and that the Council is currently following gating order guidance produced by the Department of the Environment.

“This process requires consultation with the Department for Infrastructure and members of the public in the area. A public advertisement of the proposals is then required. It is expected that this process will be complete in December 2019.

“The Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) has increased the number of Community Safety Warden patrols in this area over the last few weeks as a deterrent to reports of anti-social behaviour.

“The PCSP will continue to work in partnership with the PSNI to ensure that warden patrols are appropriately deployed across the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area where reports of anti-social behaviour have been received.”