Residents have welcomed the partnership work from Croydon’s Town Centre Taskforce to clear illegally dumped rubbish and tackle antisocial behaviour.
People living in Oval Road and Leslie Park Road contacted Jason Perry, the Executive Mayor of Croydon, to report activity in the area, which was creating a mess and making them feel unsafe. This included crime, drug dealing and other antisocial behaviour.
The Council and Town Centre Taskforce partners visited and discussed these concerns and wider issues with residents, in order to take action to make lasting improvements.
They installed CCTV as a preventative measure, with drug, alcohol misuse and homeless support services offered to people in the area by Change Grow Live.
The Taskforce arranged to secure abandoned properties being used for flytipping and antisocial behaviour. They contacted homeowners to take remedial works to address the issues, such as boarding up the front of a house to prevent unauthorised access, stop rubbish piling up, and fixing an unstable wall.
Following the changes, residents thanked the Taskforce for their work, which has made a difference and makes them feel safer, they said.
Croydon resident Charli shared her positive experience with Executive Mayor Perry: “I just wanted to say thank you to you and the team for working on some of the long-standing issues in the area. The pile of rubbish on Leslie Park Road was getting worse and would have started to attract pests. As a local resident, I am pleased the Council took action, and is ensuring owners of land maintain their land properly.”
Croydon’s Town Centre Taskforce, set up last year, is made up of local statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations. They work together to make our borough cleaner, safer and healthier for everyone, which is a leading priority for Executive Mayor Perry.
He said: “We are listening to residents about their concerns around antisocial behaviour and litter hotspots, and dealing with issues as quickly as possible. Working more closely with partner organisations on Croydon’s Town Centre Taskforce is leading to better outcomes for communities in these areas.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
Anyone who sees antisocial behaviour in Croydon can report it anonymously to the police via 101.
Concerns about someone who is sleeping on the streets can be reported to StreetLink which will connect them with local services.
