Alleyway that took 2½ years to close
An alleyway between Windale Avenue and Pegasus Road used by drug dealers is finally due to be closed-off after years of waiting by local
residents.
Householders living near the alleyway drew up a petition that was sent to Blackbird Leys councillors at the end of 2002. IWCA councillor
Stuart Craft then put it on the agenda of the South East Area Committee in February 2003, where it was agreed that access to the alleyway
should be restricted.
However, council officers insisted it would take six months for ‘further consultation’ and to secure the agreement of the county council.
It has in fact taken 2½ years for work to install two security gates and fences to be finally given the go-ahead, although it may still be
several months before this starts.
Despite the lengthy delay and ongoing deliberation by the council—partly due to her colleagues Val Smith and Barbara
Gatehouse—recently-elected Labour councillor Carole Roberts called for the alleyway to be closed during her election campaign.
Stuart Craft commented, ‘The Labour-dominated city council and local area committee has let residents in Pegasus Road and Windale Avenue
down by sitting on this for so long. However, rather than apologise for this it seems they are, unbelievably, trying to gain political
advantage out of the delay.’
‘Now the election is over we will no doubt see Labour claiming that closing the alleyway was Carole Roberts’s work, even though she has basically had nothing to do with it.’
Leys Independent, issue 29, August 2005
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