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Residents packed St. Peter’s Church to grill council leader, Sir Richard Leese, about plans for Levenshulme
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The day Levenshulme spoke with one voice
Susannah Wright8/11/2007
HUNDREDS of Levenshulme residents have demanded action for their area following a face-to-face meeting with the leader of Manchester City Council.
More than 300 people turned up to the meeting where Sir Richard Leese faced a 45-minute grilling from residents demanding greater investment in the regeneration of their area.
They voiced their concerns about the lack of a community centre and green spaces, a lack of facilities for mental health workers and privatisation fears for Broom Avenue Children’s Centre.
The meeting – which was chaired by the area’s MP Sir Gerald Kaufman – took place at St Peter’s Church on Barlow Road and was organised by the Friends of Levenshulme (FOL).
During the meeting Charlotte Smith, a youth justice researcher from Greenway Avenue, said she was dismayed by the lack of community facilities in Levenshulme.
Addressing Sir Richard she said: “Since the bulldozing of our community centre last year we, as residents, have had nowhere to go. This question has been put to you before and your answer was that there are other venues such as churches.
“We shouldn’t have to rely on churches and mosques for community events and evening classes, and they shouldn’t be run just by volunteers. We need luncheon clubs for elderly people and youth clubs. I pay my council tax and I expect to get proper facilities.”
In response Sir Richard said: “Levenshulme ought to have new facilities and that will come through local plans via the Strategic Regeneration Framework. But I do think that churches play key role in the fabric of civil society, and I don’t think the state should provide everything. Local communities should do some things for themselves, it has to be more than just the council doing things.”
Part-way through the meeting the children of Levenshulme took over as three young boys stepped on to the platform with a big homemade postcard, showing different areas of Levenshulme. They presented the postcard to Sir Richard alongside Delamere Road resident, Jamie Summers, 36.
He said: “This card represents Levenshulme, and it looks like a bombsite.”
One of the boys added: “And we want it to change.”
Sir Richard asked for the sites to be identified so that he could see if the council would be able to take any action.
The debate then turned to the lack of funding in the area. Joe Kisolo-Ssonko, 24, said: “We struggle to get money for children’s activities, mental health has no investment. We need more funding.”
Sir Richard said: “The council is looking at more positive activities for teenagers. There is a working group, headed by Sue Murphy, executive member for employment and skills, and we are trying to set up more activities for and by children.”
Council officials from the South Manchester Regeneration team have now estimated that it will take them six months to put together a plan addressing the main concerns highlighted by the residents.
Andy Wilson from the regeneration team said that a steering group would be set up, offering consultations and drop-in sessions, as well as taking representations from individuals.
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The meeting was controlled by the Labour Party - the MP stopped the meeting earlier than promised and didn't let people respond properly.
8/11/2007 at 22:11