Week of action sees community come together in Cobridge
Residents in Cobridge have taken part in craft classes, outdoor activities and planting as part of a week of action that has also seen council and police teams tackle anti-social behaviour.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council worked with Staffordshire Police and community group The Portland Inn Project to support activities in the area. Residents made cakes, hand cream and helped to improve the community garden next to the PIPPIN facility, while young people have taken part in outdoor sports sessions and a women’s group has met for a socially distanced cuppa, as part of the activities.
Recent activities also saw council teams tackle litter and fly-tipping, hand out six fixed penalty notices for waste offences and 26 notices for rubbish dumped on private land. Residents on a number of streets have been written to for leaving their wheelie bins out on days other than their collection day. Housing officers have been out supporting residents, including referring one house for an environmental health visit to help to improve the property and helping three households with safe and warm grant information and applications.
Council leader Abi Brown said: “It has been great to visit the community during the week and to see the Covid-secure events taking place to bring residents together in a safe way and improve the area in which they live. This week was also about having a very visible presence in the area to support the community and tackle any issues. Our teams tidied up a lot of fly-tipped rubbish from alleyways and have investigated and issued fines to culprits. When so many people take pride in the local area and work to support each other, it is disappointing when a small minority choose to fly-tip or let rubbish in their gardens blow out onto the road and open spaces. We take strong action against people who blight our communities, and anyone who witnesses fly-tipping taking place can report it via the MyStoke App or by calling 01782 234234.”
During a week of activities, Staffordshire Police had their police bus visit the community, with residents able to drop in and speak to officers. Police teams carried out two warrants for heroin and cannabis at addresses, and issued 18 notices against motorists for a variety of offences such as driving through red lights, not wearing seatbelts, excess weight in the vehicle and no road tax.
Sergeant Christopher Gifford from the Stoke North Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We have deployed extra patrols in the area of Portland Street this week as part of a week of action intent on supporting the local community and reducing levels of anti-social behaviour and crime. We, alongside colleagues at Stoke-on-Trent City Council and other branches within Staffordshire Police, will continue to do all we can to improve the area with local officers on hand to assist with any concerns that you might have.”
(Main image Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Abi Brown (right) joins Anna Francis and Rebecca Davies (centre) from The Portland Inn Project as they make improvements to the community garden during a week of activities in the area.)
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