Six weeks of intensive work has addressed local concerns such as crime, fly tipping and healthy food with a total of 23 agencies working together for the benefit of the community. And residents have hailed it as a massive success.
Wigan’s champion for neighbourhood services, Cllr Kevin Anderson, told the press:
“The work in Platt Bridge has been a great achievement. I’d like to thank our friends in the police, the Youth Offending Team, Wigan and Leigh Housing, United Utilities, Network Rail, Fire and Rescue, as well as volunteers and residents who have all come together to raise awareness of the cleaner, safer, greener issues affecting us all.”
As well as visits to local schools, officers and volunteers have been door knocking to hear local issues directly from residents. This was followed by special clean ups and litter picks. To ensure people remembered the event, there were hanging baskets to make as well as face painting and Morris Dancing to add to the fun, plus a football match between the police and local ‘game on’ youths.
Some 35 tonnes of rubbish were recycled and more than 100 bags of litter were collected. Some of the work was undertaken by school children as part of the council’s commitment to environmental education for the next generation.
One grateful resident, Rick Moore, said of the project:
"On behalf of all the residents, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved - please pass our thanks on to all the services involved. Without your help we would not feel as safe."
Cllr Anderson added:
“Events like those over the last month or so serve to bring communities together. As the council’s new champion for neighbourhoods, I look forward to further projects around the borough. We all want to see our urban areas looking their best and this spring clean should mark a major step forward for Platt Bridge.”
