No marks to the Gazette for informing those of us who live in or around Greenstead that it is the “worst estate” (Gazette, February 3) and then compounding the error by calling our area “Colchester’s worst neighbourhood”.
The story was about crime and antisocial behaviour figures from the Government’s new website and they make interesting reading, but you can’t unfairly label an area purely on these statistics.
There are issues on Greenstead, but the positives far outweigh the negatives.
We have good community and leisure facilities, improving schools, a lovely nature reserve in Salary Brook, a variety of shops and a brilliant SureStart Centre, to name but a few.
We also have several groups working to further improve the area, as your reporter witnesses at the bimonthly St Andrew’s Information Network Team meetings which I chair.
We have the best community spirit in the borough and longstanding residents who simply wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
The only people I hear moan about Greenstead are those who never go near the place, or know nothing or very little about it.
It’s been my privilege to represent the area for 19 years and nothing makes me more furious than press articles that reinforce unfair and unwarranted prejudices about, what is, a great asset for Colchester.
Tim Young
Leader of the Labour
Group
Colchester Council
Mascot Square
Colchester
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here