MP slams Wrexham Council over Hightown flats meeting no-show

Published date: 09 October 2009 | Published by: Matt Sims

 

WREXHAM’S MP has slammed the council after no representatives from the local authority turned up to a meeting of concerned residents living in Hightown flats.

Members of the council’s social affairs, health and housing scrutiny committee last Friday recommended the demolition of the five blocks of five-storey apartments, which are plagued by a catalogue of structural problems.

Labour MP Ian Lucas has now criticised the authority’s decision not to send a councillor, or council officer, to a meeting of the Gatefield and Napier Tenants' and Residents Association on Tuesday.

He said: “It was shameful that not one councillor from the administration, nor one council officer attended the meeting.

“Residents had many legitimate questions about a decision that will affect their lives profoundly and no-one from the council could be bothered to turn up.

“People wanted to know detail of when the demolition would happen, where they would be living and what, if any, compensation they would receive.

"They are getting no information from the council.”

A council report has said that the authority cannot afford to spend £17.5 million of a major facelift of the 181 flats and maisonettes built in 1970.

At a meeting on Friday members agreed with their suggestions that the whole complex be bulldozed to make way for affordable housing.

Andy Lewis, chief housing and public protection officer said: “Our understanding was that Tuesday night’s meeting was a regular monthly meeting of the Gatefield and Napier Tenants’ and Residents Association, and not a public meeting.

“We were unable to send a representative to the meeting but had contacted Mr Lucas' office earlier in the day offering to meet him to discuss the issue of Hightown Flats."

He added: “ We do recognise the importance of keeping all tenants' informed of what is happening and hand delivered letters to all residents last Friday following the scrutiny committee informing them of the committee's decision to support the redevelopment of the flats.”

Final approval on the flats’ future lies with the council’s executive board on November 3.

You must be a registered user to leave a comment. Register or login here.

  1. Posted by: Roland Cleth at 09:48 on 09 October 2009 Report

    Ian, the Council have explained the position to you. The decision to demolish has only just been made. The details and infirmation you and the residents are looking for obviously won't be available yet. When it is arranged equally obviously the residents will be advised. Stop trying to score cheap points.

  2. Posted by: a cahill at 12:51 on 09 October 2009 Report

    Fact... Final approval will only be given to the demolition on Nov 3rd...might be a good idea to wait for it before any decisions on the logistics of moving or compensation are made,after that Lucas might agree to use the street surgeries he claims to do to impart information to the Tenants of Hightown

  3. Posted by: a cahill at 13:37 on 09 October 2009 Report

    I have a sneaking suspicion that something big is coming up ..maybe an election !..so anything goes and nothing is sacred.. from care homes,trains and now Hightown flats...no worries folks, Ian has finally realised he's your MP.. your problems are his, regardless of the factual accuracy of his claims he is on your side,no problem too small

  4. Posted by: Roland Cleth at 13:53 on 09 October 2009 Report

    Just a thought, but, maybe if some of New Labour MP's had stood up against their party's decision to support the US's war in Iraq, there might be a few billion pounds left in the kitty, some of which might have been given to local authorities.

  5. Posted by: Roland Cleth at 14:17 on 09 October 2009 Report

    a cahill - "I have a sneaking suspicion that something big is coming up ..maybe an election !..so anything goes and nothing is sacred.." - Yes, but this is Wrexham we're talking about. He doesn't need to try this hard to ensure a New Labour victory. If Nick Griffin stood as a New Labour candidate in Wrexham he'd win.

  6. Posted by: a cahill at 14:20 on 09 October 2009 Report

    Good thinking Roland.... but can we seriously expect the spin driven acolytes of New Labour to consider anything other than their position in the polls or chance of re-election.Surely the problems with the flats didn't suddenly appear last month and its this failure to carry out repairs immediately that leads to soaring costs and the need to demolish homes

  7. Posted by: tommy at 14:21 on 09 October 2009 Report

    It's the failure of new labour to invest in council housing that has brought this state of affairs about.Where is this gonk coming from? Demolition and reconstruction would be a major project and the Freemasons wires will be red hot. with the air full of flying little brown packets in the guildhall. tommy

  8. Posted by: a cahill at 14:46 on 09 October 2009 Report

    OMG.. Roland are you telling me that in the more than likely event of the Tories forming the next Govt this man will be free to wander around at a loose end with no junior ministry to keep him off our backs.. what a delightful prospect that is. Ian wandering about getting everything wrong and screwing us up even more than the Council do.Maybe Malcolm king can use him at the Venture

  9. Posted by: Roland Cleth at 16:17 on 09 October 2009 Report

    Ian could go back to just being a bl00dy good solicitor. You never know, he might even rediscover some of those socialist principles which used to burn so brightly.

  10. Posted by: Yachydda at 18:06 on 09 October 2009 Report

    a cahill : Surely the problems with the flats didn't suddenly appear last month ... Its been a recognised problem that has been known of and monitored for the last few years, Cllr Roberts savings had an impact on the disrepair of the Hightown Flats...hope hes proud that his savings are having the opposit effect

  11. Posted by: CrazyDiamond at 18:57 on 09 October 2009 Report

    The sooner thay pull them down the better, an absolute eyesore and a haven for all our lovely druggies. Only thing is, where are they gonna put all our junkie friends when they do decide to move everyone out?

  12. Posted by: a cahill at 20:01 on 09 October 2009 Report

    CrazyDiamond. ... I bet its Caia Park... no other place like it on earth..... where Police are not willing to take action against them and funnily enough last time I heard it was illegal to possess drugs

  13. Posted by: greenflyer at 23:44 on 09 October 2009 Report

    1 the council should never let them get this bad 2 the residents should have a contract with the council-if theyre to move out they should have first refusal on the new homes (not any tom dick and harry) and 3 ian lucas should not be a scumbag hanging on the misfortune of others - if these people were to move and not be rehomed where they wanted to be would ian lucas defend them??? i think not NOTHING BUT A CHEAP HEADLINE GRABBER

  14. Posted by: Democracy at 12:25 on 11 October 2009 Report

    Ian Lucas is once again playing pic "n" mix politics in Wrexham. He will happily criticise the Lib-Dem Wrexham Council but won`t say "boo" about the government or Welsh Assembly. Ian Lucas`s first priority is his own political career. The people of Wrexham come a distant second. If he gets re-elected as MP that will send him the message that he`s got a job for life in Wrexham and he will show even greater contempt for the people of Wrexham.

  15. Posted by: Democracy at 12:27 on 11 October 2009 Report

    I urge people to take their pick at the next general election between Gareth Hughes, Arfon Jones & Tom Rippeth - and ignore Ian Lucas. This will send a message that democracy is alive and well in Wrexham!

  16. Posted by: a cahill at 15:24 on 11 October 2009 Report

    Democracy.. agreed .... but the real problem lies in the fact that once elected MPs have to toe the party line and the claim that they were elected on local issues is quickly forgotten.Publicity grabbing headlines and childish spats on the letters page are just one way of covering up the fact that democracy for the voter begins and ends at the ballot box

  17. Posted by: Democracy at 16:17 on 11 October 2009 Report

    Agreed a cahill. I`m not suggesting that the 3 people I mentioned would be any better than Mr.Lucas. But if the people of Wrexham vote out Ian Lucas then that will send a message to all the political parties - represent us properly or we show you the door. A new MP may spur the Labour Party to produce an honourable local candidate for the 2014 election.

  18. Posted by: a cahill at 18:24 on 11 October 2009 Report

    Democracy ... agree totally ... at issue is the failure of the candidates to debate the real issues which affect the daily lives of the electorate and instead to resort to slagging each other off in public thereby preventing people from learning what their real intentions are and the having chance to evaluate their policies

  19. Posted by: Democracy at 09:57 on 12 October 2009 Report

    I take policy promises with a pinch of salt. How many times have politicians from all parties promised things and not delivered when elected. The public must vote for the person who comes across as most sincere and has the best interest of the people of Wrexham. Ian Lucas has had 8 years and failed. We should choose between the 3 I mentioned earlier.

  20. Posted by: a cahill at 14:55 on 12 October 2009 Report

    Recently I have come round to the idea that I wouldn'tvote at the next. election.... but that goes against my understanding of the suffering of many to ensure that I can have the opportunity to elect people to represent me, so I will vote and it is easier with only 3 to choose from

  21. Posted by: Democracy at 15:53 on 12 October 2009 Report

    Well said a cahill. I urge everyone to vote at the next election. If you don`t like any of the candidates then vote for the one who you dislike least. But only vote for Ian Lucas if you think he has done a good job and is a solid man of the people. I doubt many people will come to that conclusion.

 

Related Stories

Featured Properties

Chirk Service Station
Jackson's Nurseries & Garden Centre
The Health Care Centre
The Talardy Hotel

Featured Businesses

View all adverts