Foleshill 'having a cardiac arrest' due to crime and fly-tipping says council candidate

[dutchman]

Independent candidate Zia Khan says Foleshill is suffering from low investment



An area of Coventry is "having a cardiac arrest" and even locals call it a dump due to fly-tipping and crime, a candidate running for a seat on the city council has said. Independent candidate Zia Khan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service how the ward he is running for has been rocked by anti-social behaviour and other problems.

Mr Khan, 41, is locked in a close battle with Labour councillor Tariq Khan to represent Foleshill - one of the city's most deprived areas. The independent came second to Labour last year by less than 500 votes and insiders predict this year's race could be even tighter.

"There's a lack of investment in this area," Mr Khan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "You always hear budget cuts but there's millions being spent on bike lanes in Coundon and Binley: why is Foleshill being neglected?"

"A place like Livingstone Baths was a hub for the community and a lot of residents used it. We need some type of a hub the community can use - something like a youth centre," he added.

But Foleshill also has more urgent problems, he said. "I always give an analogy to people - I say if you go to a hospital, say if you have a bleed in your hand or your finger, or you've got a heart attack, what's the first thing they're going to treat?" Mr Khan said.

"It's the heart attack, it's more dangerous, and I think right now Foleshill is having a cardiac arrest." He believes that the area "has been neglected massively," and residents he's spoken to say it's a dump.

Potholes, poorly maintained roads and blocked drains are causing residents daily problems while fly-tipping has led to a rise in the number of rats in the area, he said. Crime rates have reportedly improved, but according to Mr Khan, people living there feel that it is on the rise.

Earlier this year, there were three stabbings in the area in two weeks. And in December, five houses on a road were all burgled in the same night. Mr Khan said that there is a need for a higher police presence and he called for cops to engage more with the community.

Children in Foleshill also suffer from poorly-maintained parks where adults fear fights will break out, he said. "Me personally, I can't take my children to the parks here, I have to drive to other areas" he said. "It's the same that I've been hearing from residents in the area that have got vehicles."

Mr Khan claimed that local councillors are rarely seen and only turn up to fix problems around election time. "My concern is that the Foleshill councillors aren't fighting our corner," he said.

As an independent candidate he wouldn't have to toe the party line, he added. He'd also bring in regular surgeries with residents. Mr Khan has lived in the area all his life and is involved in community life - running local cricket leagues, for example.

Despite Labour's historic strength in the ward, he is feeling confident about how he'll do this year. "I spoke to an elderly couple who've been Labour supporters all their life and they're going to vote for me this year," he said.

"There are a lot of people who've changed their minds." The 2022 elections will take place on Thursday, May 5.