Council ‘ignoring’ pleas on Dudley crime hotspot

A shabby area in Dudley which attracts yobs, drug users and prostitutes has been abandoned according to a charity boss. 

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Dudley Council is being accused of doing nothing to clean up a street blighted by fly-tipping despite calls from charity workers at Headway on Martin Hill Street for action to protect their vulnerable clients.

Rubbish including used condoms and needles is piling up on Church Street at the rear of the Duncan Edwards Leisure Centre which is causing a range of problems for the charity, including rat infestations.

Harmesh Raan, operations manager at Headway Black Country, said: “When the council built the leisure centre at the bottom of Martin Hill Street, what they did is block off Church Street so you can no longer walk through it, as a result that little area has become a fly-tipping hotspot.”

The eyesore is at the rear of Headway’s building close to their car park exit.

Mr Raan said: “When we leave during the winter months, sadly we’ve seen people taking drugs, we’ve had other people who are not wearing any clothes on occasion because of certain activities they are engaging in.

“There is a number of frightening activities taking place just on our doorstep which really the council is refusing to handle.

“I have had conversations with the council about whether they simply put some CCTV in place, they refused that.”

He added after requests for the site to be cleared, council staff “arrive and disappear without doing anything’.

Cllr Damian Corfield, Dudley cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “We take any reports of antisocial behaviour and drug abuse very seriously. 

“We will investigate these reports with our police partners, who would lead on any investigations related to criminal activity, and will take robust action if required under our zero tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour in our homes and communities.”

Headway helps people rehabilitate after head injuries caused by accidents or illness. 

Mr Raan added: “It’s a health and safety issue, we need to remember we’re talking about vulnerable individuals, something that many struggle with is their connection with other people.

“So what individuals see can have a huge impact on them and really affect their emotional well-being.

“When people enter or leave Headway, to have them exposed to anything that’s going to really be a detriment to their health, that is something that is sadly out of our control”.