Resident told of Big Clean success on Rochdale Online

The Big Clean

A Rochdale resident that submitted an appeal for a local 'grot spot' to be cleared up as part of the Council's Big Clean project, has been told his application was successful on Rochdale Online.

Rochdale Online reader Lawrence Glendinning asked that the area at the back of Longfield Road, which lies off Edenfield Road near Spotland Bridge, be cleared of fly-tipped rubbish as part of the project. Gordon Beverley, the Council's Street Service Manager, informed Mr Glendinning that the site had been chosen via a message on the Rochdale Online message board.

"It was a complete surprise and delight to have read the post by Gordon as I didn't expect to have my suggestion to have won so to speak," said Mr Glendinning. "It is good that people in Rochdale Council that are empowered to make these choices do read Rochdale Online and take notice of our concerns for our town as I have always voiced my concerns and defended our town on the board.

"It's good that Gordon chose to have announced the results on Rochdale Online as it is immediate and instantaneous to a large proportion of Rochdale."

The Big Clean aspect of the project will include a tidy-up of the area, a strimming of overgrown vegetation and thinning out of trees, while Mr Beverley hinted that more work on the site could be carried out in future.

"There will be a follow-up in the form of some enforcement patrols and if we don't see some improvements after that, it may be a good candidate for some CCTV surveillance," said Mr Beverley. 

Mr Glendinning was pleased that there could be more work done on the site after the Big Clean project is finished.

"It goes without saying that the actions being taken by Rochdale Council in the area that I nominated will have a great positive effect on the neighbourhood and I am pleased to read that long term action has been mentioned for this area so it is not just going to be a one off exercise," he said.

And Mr Glendinning is not the only Rochdale Online reader to have successfully nominated a grot spot for a clean-up. Father Paul Daly, of St Joseph's RC Church in Heywood, chose Pot Hall, near to St Joseph's RC school, and the Council has also confirmed this area as one of Heywood's five Big Clean projects.

The Big Clean is a £100,000 Council initiative dedicated to cleaning up the entire Rochdale Borough. Twenty sites across the town have so far been chosen for a makeover.

Chief Executive Roger Ellis said he was delighted with the public response to the Big Clean: “Everyone has the right to live somewhere they can be proud of. The Big Clean is helping to make this a reality by improving the appearance of local streets and enhancing the quality of life for residents. The clean-up blitz starts now.”

To view the Rochdale Online message board thread on the Big Clean and to contribute to the debate, click here:

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9795