In the Gazette report (April 30) headlined, “We want play area made into a garden”, Emma Cruickshank, resident involvement officer for landowner Colne Housing, was reported to have said: “We have already posted leaflets and held two public meetings.”

A flyer was posted to the residents of Balfe Court saying if we had any comments regarding the future of the former play area, we should attend a Voices for Greenstead meeting. We phoned Colne Housing and asked who the author of the flyer was and it refused to tell us.

With regard to the two public meetings she claimed were held, the only meetings we know of that ever mentioned our problem were again Voices for Greenstead meetings.

Unless Voices for Greenstead is another name for Colne Housing, then as far as we know Colne Housing has never held a public meeting.

Colne Housing has known for years that its land, which lies vandalised and abused, is used as a meeting place by those intent on antisocial behaviour.

All of us, at one stage or another, have asked it for help as the problems are over and above what its tenants and the rest of the community should have to endure, but to no avail.

Instead of treating us like an irritation, it might be a good idea for it to start interacting with its own tenants to reach an amicable solution to this problem.

We would like to thank the members of Greenstead Neighbourhood Action Panel for not only taking our problems seriously and acknowledging we need help but working with us to find long-term results.

Tara White and Amanda Stannard
Balfe Court Neighbourhood Watch