A project that Councillor Ashby was working on before his death was to reinstate parkland at the back of Charles Street and James Street. Local businesses have donated money to buy small play equipment and youngsters from the area had got together and cleaned up the area with litter pickers; they are very proud of the project and immensely keen to improve their neighbourhood. Pete asked Councillor Neil Phillips (the Labour councillor for Abbey ward and portfolio holder for parks) for his assistance, but Councillor Phillips refused to help. I would like to work on this project, to give the children in the area somewhere to go without having to cross busy Manor Court Road. If we cannot do something good for our young people, then how can we expect them to want to play an active part in our society?
During my last campaign, a resident suggested to me that an unused plot of land at the bottom of Alexandra Street could be used as a small play park. I totally support this idea and will try to get that area turned into something useful for the community, as opposed to the tipping ground that it once was.