Residents push for parkland clean-up

Parkland in the Hill Top area of West Bromwich has become neglected and overgrown, prompting complaints from residents.

Land at the back of The Globe pub off New Street, has become overgrown since play equipment was moved.

Residents say that it now cannot be used as a right of way and mother-of-two Kelly Grice, aged 27, said she is no longer able to walk her young children to school as the area is so overgrown. She has demanded that Sandwell Council do something to clear up the area.

The mobile carer said: "This is the quickest route to school for us but my nine-year-old daughter refuses to go down there after she was stung several times by the overgrown nettles.

"The same has happened to me on a number of occasions.

"I have neighbours who take their dogs up there, but you have to wear thick trousers even in the middle of summer, unless you want to get stung or cut to pieces.

"This used to be a playground, but all the equipment was pulled out a few years ago, and since them it has been allowed to go to rack and ruin.

"I have called the council about it several times, but keep getting sent from pillar to post, with no-one willing to take responsibility for cleaning the place up."

Councillor Mahboob Hussain, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for neighbourhoods and housing, said the council is aware of the problem and is looking at the site.

He said: "I have asked officers to investigate this as a matter of urgency."

In May Sandwell Council announced it had been given £1.5 million scheme to clean up eyesore sites.

The cash has been allocated for the 2009/10 financial year with the aim of dealing with as many problem areas across Sandwell as possible.

There are currently around 200 sites borough-wide which are being investigated and are under consideration to be looked at under the Grot Spot scheme, and Hill Top residents are hoping they will be the next to benefit.