Young people are often unfairly criticised and blamed for such things as anti-social behaviour. However, sometimes this criticism is deserved. Congleton Town Council has been working with the Cheshire East Youth Offending Team to get local youths who have been causing trouble in Congleton to use their energies to help improve areas of the town as part of their rehabilitation.
In recent weeks three young people, who can’t be named, have worked with the Town Council as part of their rehabilitation and have contributed over 20 hours to clean areas of the town. Work completed includes the removal of litter, rotting leaves and moss from the Nursery Lane to Park Lane pathway, a popular route to Daven Primary School, removal of weeds, moss and overgrown shrubs from the pathway between Edinburgh Road and The Parklands, the removal of weeds from the Park Street car park and the seating area at Green Island. Clearing all the leaves from the Cock Shoots by St Peter’s Church, removal of weeds and moss from pathways between St John’s Road and Littondale Close, Harvey Road and Ribblesdale Avenue, and Bankhouse Drive and Buxton Road, and the removal of moss from the pavements of Suffolk Close.
“I was pleased to be asked to support this initiative; the needs of the Cheshire East Youth Offending Service to provide opportunities of Community Reparation matched up well with that of the Town Council which is always looking at ways to keep the town clean and tidy. We should not write off young people even when they have caused so much damage and distress in a community, we should work with them to help put something back which benefits those neighbourhoods which have suffered. I have been really impressed with the work ethic they have demonstrated and the environmental improvements they have made around the town. This work assisted us in our entry into the North West in Bloom competition.”
Glen Williams, Congleton Town Councillor and Tidy Town Champion
Residents are encouraged to help keep the town clean and tidy all year round by joining in organised litter picks, or if you wish to clear a litter problem in your neighbourhood, contact Congleton Town Council on 01260 270350 to borrow equipment.
The results of this year’s North West in Bloom competition will be known on October 24th.
