Residents of a housing estate in Peasedown St John are calling on B&NES Council and Curo Housing to take better care of their pavements and the surrounding public realm.
Peasedown St John Residents’ Association, along with local councillor Karen Walker, say walkways and footpaths around Frederick and Albert Avenues have been left to deteriorate over a near-twenty year period.
Rose Timberley, local resident, said: “It’s not good enough. The poor condition of our pavements and even our roads isn’t acceptable.
“Many people have fallen over due to cracks, holes in the ground and broken kerb stones.
“B&NES Council, and Curo, need to remember us once in a while and spend a bit of money on the bare necessities.”
The condition of pavements in Peasedown St John is particularly bad in areas maintained and managed by Curo Housing Association, who took over from Somer Housing in 2013.
Cllr Karen Walker believes though that the problem is far more deep rooted than the last few years: “Up until 1999, when Bath and North East Somerset Council owned and managed social housing estates in the local authority, there was far more accountability with regards to who was responsible for what.
“The council was the only port of call for residents and the buck stopped with them.
“Now, since the selling of the housing stock 16 years ago, former council house estates have been left to fend for themselves.
“Pavements, kerbstones, roadsides and even some public play spaces have been abandoned with no organisation willing to carry out basic maintenance.
“Both Curo and B&NES Council need to get their acts together and decide who is responsible for what, instead of passing the buck between themselves all the time.”
Cllr Walker has written to the Chief Executive of Curo, and the Director of Place at the council to ask for more clarity on the matter, and for action to be taken.
Any Peasedown resident can report a broken pavement, kerbstone or pothole in their street to Cllr Karen Walker by calling 07968 401447 or emailing [email protected].
