Conservatives demand council and police act on growing menace.
Local councillors Robert Alden and Gareth Moore (both Conservative, Erdington) have demanded West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council start taking action to tackle drug sellers and addicts and clear needles and other drug paraphernalia off Erdington High Street and the surrounding area.
They have written to the Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police and the Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council to demand action is taken against the growing scourge of drug users on Erdington High Street.
Cllr Alden said, “In the last couple of weeks we have naked drug users on the High Street in the middle of the day, and piles of needles and syringes abandoned on the High Street near the walk in centre. There has been a growing issue with people begging on Erdington High Street and using that money to buy drugs. That is why we have been demanding Birmingham City Council and the Police bring back a public space protection order for Erdington High Street and take action to stop this from happening”.
Cllr Moore added, “Enough is enough – we have a situation where it’s half term and people visiting the High Street are confronted by needles on our streets. This is totally unacceptable. Excuses from the council and the police just don’t wash anymore. Instead of excuses they need to start taking action and clearing these law breakers off our streets immediately”.
He concluded that, “Month after month we have been raising this with the council and police. Sadly, what started out as a minor problem has grown into a totally unacceptable mess. Had they taken action when we first raised the issues then this would never have got so out of hand. Action is needed now to keep residents safe”.