THEFT and vandalism in Thurnscoe East has cost Barnsley Council over £50,000 which should have gone into improvements to properties.
The housing renewal programme for the area is moving ahead rapidly, but the job has been held up on Brunswick Street where 40 houses in 14 blocks are to be demolished and the council is having to pick up the bill for security.
“We can start demolition seven days after we get the certificates from British Gas to prove that the service has been disconnected,” said Steve Jagger, assistant director of housing services.
“We’ve been promised they will be on site on April 16 and we can’t wait to get these properties down. It’s a national problem and the average waiting period is between 13 and 17 weeks from when a property has been acquired.”
