Problems on the streets of Ashton town centre

Crime, fear and defecation on the streets of Ashton have gotten out of hand, according to one politician.

Independent councillor Kaleel Khan says he’s had reports of people pooing and urinating in the streets and an abundance of antisocial behaviour activity. He feels Tameside council’s leadership is too focused on their redevelopment project currently under construction and not dealing with the real issues.

Market Square in Ashton has been a building site since 2024. The £14.6m canopy being created will act as a community hub for public events and house market traders selling their wares, according to the council. 

There is hope the canopy will officially open soon, but it’s the problems going on around it that have concerned many locals.

St Peters ward representative Kaleel Khan said: “My main concern is what businesses are telling me about feeling unsafe in Ashton. They say there is an issue with beggars and people defecating in the town centre.

“People are feeling unsafe with drug use as well. You can smell the cannabis when you walk through.

“Residents are not happy with what is going on with the town centre redevelopment. It’s taking too long and not addressing the main issues – these are issues the council promised to deal with.

“Ashton is not the best place right now and I want it to be improved. This leadership needs to have meetings with councillors.

Cllr Khan raised the problems at the latest full council meeting, but felt towns boss Coun Stephen Homer’s answer about increasing security and CCTV wasn’t enough. The local authority said their CCTV network is already ‘extensive’ in the town centre, but they intend to expand it further.

Cllr Khan suggested better cross-party collaboration could help create ideas to improve safety and deal with issues in the town.

Cllr Khan said more opposition councillors sitting on scrutiny boards and on the neighbourhood board, making decisions for Ashton, needs to happen. He claims that Labour leadership are not open to difference of opinion on matters, which leads to local representatives like himself being left in the dark.

One example he gave of this was the closure of the underpass below Park Parade, just on the outskirts of Ashton town centre. Last month, Tameside council took the decision to do an emergency closure at the request of Greater Manchester Police following issues of criminality and antisocial behaviour.

Now the entrance on both sides of Park Parade is blocked by a metal fence. 

A meeting was later held with Ashton councillors to explain the situation, but other councillors had no clue what was happening until they saw the fences go up. The meeting was also told there have been around 200 arrests in Ashton town centre up to August this year, Cllr Khan added.

“They must work with opposition councillors, Cllr Khan continued. “This is the way to make the Ashton town centre regeneration work.”

A Tameside council spokesperson said: “The council’s community safety service, which incorporates the antisocial behaviour and CCTV Team working closely with local policing colleagues in addressing the antisocial and criminal issues taking place in Ashton town centre.

“This is not a new practice, the teams have a good working relationship supporting each other in terms of activity that takes place in the town centre, such as enforcement of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) and Operation Barbican.

“The council operates an extensive CCTV network across Ashton town centre, with CCTV operators proactively monitoring the area and reporting incidents directly to GMP. 

“This partnership approach regularly supports police investigations, helps identify offenders and has resulted in arrests for numerous offences and including for example individuals who are ‘wanted’ by the police, or in breach of orders, such as Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs). 

“Whilst Ashton town centre has extensive CCTV coverage, there is an ambition to extend this network and provide more coverage, in Ashton, and other towns within the borough.

“A recent issue has led to an underpass in Ashton, which has been temporarily closed recently following a request from the police. This was an evidenced based decision with the intention to disrupt persistent crime and anti-social behaviour. This closure of the underpass remains under review.

“The approach and practices referred to above are part of daily business for services.”