CAN any Councillor or Executive Councillor say honestly that they have read the South Windle Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment Summary report and understand it?

This is the result of a survey that was done in 2000 by council officers. There are 163 terrace houses in the survey. 118 where access was obtained, 45 externally inspected and 19 of these were vacant so how can this be a true report and how can they work off a report that is four years old.

The houses that were vacant are now occupied either by owners or tenants and been modernised, so the only houses that need anything done to them are the ones that are bricked up and need demolition.

Why can't they demolish these said houses in Chapel Street and Argyle Street and with the land in Chapel Street build town houses like they have done in Stanhope Street (all blend in together) old and new.

I should imagine that people who live in the houses in Windle Street overlooking the empty house and waste land would be very happy if this could be the outcome and so would the rest of us.

Have the Council officers been in touch with the owners of houses that are rented to let them know what is happening instead of just telling the tenants and offering them a sum of money and asking them were they would like to be rehoused. At today's prices it would take all that sum plus extra to move, decorate and refurnish.

COMPENSATE

As for owner/occupiers we would not get a property for what they would compensate us with, plus a few of us would not be able to get another mortgage because we are either too old or in ill health so we would have to rent and all the money would get back to them in rent.

So please Councillors and Executive Councillors please read the report and you will find a lot of discrepancies in it.

C.H.A.R.G.E. (Chapel and Argyle Street, Residents Action Group) name and address supplied.