Original Email
Dear Department, Officers,
I am deeply saddened and appalled that the council have allowed this issue to be left untouched since the beginning of my tenure back in 2018.
This issue has existed now for over two years, and poses a major hazard to both motorists and pedestrians.
It is quite frankly unacceptable that bits of rubble and chunks of brick are left on the pavement making residents use the road for passage, which is obviously dangerous, and moreover the road is just as dangerous as cars have to use this for passage access to their homes. I am sure we as council employees wouldn’t want this when going to our homes, and I feel that the residents of Pine Close deserve some fairness also.
Can I therefore ask:
- Is this wall a council matter?
- If this wall falls under private property then can we expect a swift email from the council to the private owners of the wall asking them for an immediate fix-up of the wall for the safety of pedestrians and motorists, as well as to avert the risk of subsidence.
- If the wall falls under council property then of course I will be expecting the relevant team to visits and fix the wall and remove the boards that have been there for two years- a year is unacceptable let alone two.
- The pavement is clearly growing moss and is cracked deeply, is there scope to have this on the pavement renewal scheme?
Thank you
Response:
Dear Cllr Ioannou,
I refer to your email concerning the issue of the leaning wall in Pine Close.
Officers from Highway Services have continued on a monthly basis to inspect this location to ensure that there was no risk to the public from the wall itself. Following the receipt of your email Highway Services carried out an additional inspection and instructed our contractors to remove the small amount of brickwork that had become dislodged and to carry out temporary repairs to the footway. I have attached the photos taken following this visit.
From the previous investigations that were carried out it was determined that the wall was not a Council asset and as such the residents of Nursery Road were advised of such. We believe that the wall supports their gardens and asked that they take the appropriate action to remedy this.
I have requested that a Structural Surveyor inspects the wall to ascertain whether it is now unstable and if we need to take any immediate action. I am awaiting his response and I will update you once I receive this.
In relation to carrying out any improvement works to the footway, at this stage this would not be appropriate due to the fact that any works to the wall will disturb and damage any new asphalt laid.
I apologise that this situation has yet to be resolved however I will update you again with any further comments I receive back from the Surveyors.
Regards
