Green Councillors in Gleadless Valley have secured CCTV and steel shutters protecting the communal rooms (which have been the target of vandalism) for blocks of flats on Callow Drive. The Newfield Block has been subject to arson attacks and Callow Drive was also the scene of the murder of 25 year old Abdullah Hassan in April this year.
The security measures were installed as part of the Council’s CCTV renewal programme, following a long campaign by Greens, who had offered to pay for CCTV out of their ward budgets. Green Councillors got the Council to commit to doing Newfield Block and Callow Towers first as they had no CCTV installed in the first place.
It’s been reported that there have been at least 14 arson attacks in the block prior to the murder in April including one to a wheelie bin inside the communal area of the block and another in the laundry room.
Gleadless Valley Green Party Cllr Alexi Dimond said:
“I have been working with residents to demand CCTV be installed in the Callow Blocks for two years since I was elected in May 2021.
“The Callow Tower blocks were to my knowledge the only high rise blocks in the city not to have CCTV and were subject to numerous arson attacks over the last few years.
“Sadly the CCTV was not installed earlier as it may have prevented the tragic murder of Abdullah Hassan.
“I hope these measures will help people in the Callow Blocks feel more secure and reduce the risk of further incidents in the future.”
