Parent says community voices must be heard on 'broken down' play area
A campaigner has urged parents and residents worried about a "broken down" play area to make their voices heard.
Bryony Harborne of Brierley Hill is concerned about the state of the Pheasant Street play area and is calling for people to attend a meeting to be held this Saturday, February 5, at 3pm at Brockmoor Community Centre.
Mother-of-one Bryony, aged 32, posted her idea for starting a Friends Group online but is concerned that a committee has been formed by councillors without representation from local residents.
She now fears the group she planned to form has become part of a party-political wrangle.
Bryony said: "I am concerned about the play area as it is broken down and there is glass and litter and it has been like this for at least 12 months.
"After raising concerns about the state of the Pheasant Street play area it was agreed that a Friends Group would be set up.
"It appears that this idea has been hijacked and that a local election candidate has been chosen as chairman of a committee.
"Various residents, the school, Black Country Housing and other local community groups have all shown an interest in the upkeep of the area and we have been shut out and ignored as there is no local resident on the committee.
"I am asking everyone to attend the meeting and have their voice heard."
Councillor Judy Foster, who represents Brockmoor and Pensnett ward and who is deputy leader of the Labour group on Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: "Officers informed me that a committee had already been established.
"At a meeting before Christmas councillors and officers were all clear that this group was to be non-political and would be run by residents."
