Furious Huddersfield man hits out at state of 'Third World' neighbourhood
A Huddersfield man has hit out at Kirklees Council over the state of the drains.
Harold Hudson of Moldgreen says he has complained several times to the local authority about the state of kerbside drains but claims nothing has been done. He says the blocked drains are a flood risk and should be cleared to prevent sewage backing up. He says some drains are so choked with silt, leaves and rubbish that vegetation has started to grow.
Harold, who works in private estate management, says that blocked drains can be cleared 'within two hours' in the private sector and he believes Kirklees can improve on its current performance. He admits to be 'really p****d off' about the situation.
"I have reported it a few times on the council website but never had any response from them at all. I left details but there was no response whatsoever."
He has also been emailing a local councillor since April and says he was told that the council had access problems due to parked vehicles in Moldgreen. Harold says some drains haven't been emptied for so long there is vegetation growing out of the drain.
During a walk around Moldgreen, Harold showed Yorkshire Live a number of blocked drains in Brook Street, Broad Lane, which is a main road, and Church Lane. Some of them contained dirt and leaves, while others contained plastic bottles, discarded vapes, foil, squashed drinks cans and other litter.
"All of these could be unblocked within two hours," he says.
Harold emailed local councillor Mus Khan in frustration and anger, telling her: "The service is non-existent, so why am I paying Council Tax and living in 3rd world conditions?"
In reply earlier this month, Coun Khan said there had been issues with access to drains due to parked vehicles, but added: "I’m in my tenth year as a Councillor and have never this service as being so bad as it is right now."
Harold believes that Kirklees is not alone when it comes to blocked drains.
"I will give them so slack as it's not just Kirklees. If you drive around you can count them. I see blocked drains in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds."
He says Kirklees should put traffic cones on streets to clear them of cars and then clean the drains when the area is clear for a gulley/drain cleaning vehicle to gain access.
In a statement, Councillor Khan told YorkshireLive: "Several years ago routine inspection and maintenance was replaced with reactive services due to cuts in Government grants.
"This meant that the services became more dependent upon the public and councillors reporting blocked gullies.
"I was initially told that parked vehicles were preventing the clearing of gullies and that the drainage department would send letters to people’s homes so they could ensure the gullies are accessible, however since then despite dozens of emails I have drawn a blank.
"I’ve contacted seniors and have received no explanation and no action which is really concerning. The current leadership need to prioritise basic essential services that people rely on and questions need to be asked why they are not responding to councillors."
Councillor Munir Ahmed, Kirklees Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways said: "Our teams cleared 14 gullies (road drains) on Brook Street in Moldgreen in August.
"They continue to respond within 28 days to reports of blocked or damaged drains, prioritising by flood risk, location and potential impact. Parked vehicles may delay operations, but we do try to work with communities to facilitate full access.
"As autumn approaches and with it falling leaves and wet weather, we urge residents to continue to report any blocked or damaged drains online and, if possible, clear debris from drain tops to help prepare for wet weather."
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