Albert Carr residents blast broken security doors 'promise'

6:15pm Tuesday 1st July 2008

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Residents of a Streatham estate fear their lives are at risk because Lambeth Council has "broken a promise" to give them new security doors.

Albert Carr residents say the council risks another fatal stabbing like that of schoolgirl Arsema Dawit in a Waterloo estate earlier this month by not giving them electronic doors promised in this year's budget.

�Doors are jammed open so anyone can get inside. People are scared and the risk of someone getting shot or stabbed is genuine.�

Albert Carr resident

The council was heavily criticised for not helping prevent the 15-year-old's death by failing to fix doors, meaning anyone could enter the block where she was killed on June 2.

But housing officers have told Albert Carr residents their FOB security doors will not be installed until next year, even though the residents say they are listed in the estate's improvements for this year.

A resident who contacted the Streatham Guardian, but asked not to be named for fear of reprisals from yobs, said the estate was out of control and residents feared serious violence.

"There are gangs, yobs and druggies coming onto the estate," she said. "Doors are jammed open so anyone can get inside. People are scared and the risk of someone getting shot or stabbed is genuine."

She said several months ago there was a drive by shooting and two years ago someone was stabbed.

"That's still in people's minds and what happened to that girl has brought it all to a head again. Why the council won't learn its lesson and put in a measure that will protect its residents I don't know."

She also called for the council to carry out a number of other works on the estate to inject some pride.

"What's crazy is the housing office is on these grounds - they should be able to see the problems we have," she added. "But they go home at 5pm and close their eyes to what it's like here at night."

A Lambeth Council spokeswoman said cash to upgrade the doors had been put aside but work could not start until early next year.

She said six of the blocks on the estate had been upgraded, with remedial works being carried out on the other doors to ensure residents' safety.

She said: "The security of our tenants is paramount and we work closely with residents and the police safer neighbourhood team to tackle any incidents of antisocial behaviour. "