DOWN AND OUT ON A BED OF CONCRETE

The newly cleaned Haysoms Close, Romford, now a meeting place for the environmentally challenged and resting place for others.

The suits in Havering Town Hall will blink at this, but I must congratulate them on the street cleaning in my little enclave off North Street, Romford.

Not only are the four streets regularly cleaned but they have taken notice of residents concerns about the wilderness of Haysoms Close that was fast becoming a rubbish dump.

The road not being overlooked, attracts the environmentally challenged individuals who throw empty beer cans, cigarette packets and general rubbish on the road or in bushes lining the cul-de-sac. I will not go into the smell of an open toilet, but this week I almost tripped over a sleeping body on a concrete garage run up, with assorted beer cans.

Concerned, I made sure he was breathing, but this was not an isolated occurrence.

Down and out is just that for some people and commands some sympathy and the temptation to say not in my backyard is strong, but should not be the case in a civilised society. However, this was not my back yard and that section of road is often a meeting place with a forum held sitting on the kerbside.

The problems of this poor soul were not known other than he was alive and seemed to be on a different planet.

It came as a shock when I first noticed it a few years ago; a symptom of this age and found not where you would expect it.

I am not suggesting for one minute that the extremely pleasant Council cleaning operative who wields his broom with great aplomb in Haysoms Close, should include human beings along with cans, candle stubs and ciggy packets, he would fill his barrow up in no time. No, I mention it for two reasons.

The dramatic effect on this once sad area turned over with a little TLC should not go unmentioned and acknowledged with appreciation deserving the plaudits of residents.

As for the other, It would be nice to think that perhaps a tad more extra help to those in need is possible.