A clean up of Strabane town centre has been welcomed – but more action could be taken, a local MLA has insisted.
Derry And Strabane Council has confirmed a number of measures will be implemented to tidy some streets around the Co Tyrone town, which had seen problems with overgrown weeds and broken furniture.
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said that while the works to clean the town centre are welcome, it took a "merciful fight" to bring them about.
The West Tyone representative also raised further concerns about a £7million Public Realm Scheme which aims to transform the town.
Mr Crossan said: “While I welcome this move by council following intense SDLP lobbying, it is only a small step in the right direction.
“People are very, very concerned about how it’s been allowed to get into such a state. I forcefully demanded that the council do something about it last week, and thankfully they have since come back with a number of measures they are going to take in the interim in the next few weeks.
“What really infuriates me is that it took a merciful fight to get them to even clean the streets up.
"That is not on and is not happening in Belfast, it’s not happening in Derry or Fermanagh but it is happening in places like Strabane and Omagh.”
The Public Realm Scheme for Strabane was due to begin in 2019 but delays related to the funding of the project meant that the work has still not begun.
The scheme includes a variety of transformative work, including the complete replacement of footpaths in the town and road improvements in and around the areas of Abercorn Square, Railway Street, Market Street and Castle Street.
Mr McCrossan claimed: “The issue to date has been there have been delays on the part of the council in signing off extra funding that was needed, as well as delays from the Department for Communities.
“We need to have a place that people feel comfortable in and can be proud of, and that’s what I want to see achieved by the Public Realm Scheme.”
“I’m starting to see how more and more how places like Strabane have become secondary to Derry, and I’m becoming very, very frustrated with it.”
“For far too long, Strabane and the entire old council area has been severely neglected by those in charge in Derry city. There is not parity of esteem nor is there equality in provision.”
A spokesperson for Derry And Strabane Council said it has been liaising with the Department for Infrastructure on the minor works taking place in Strabane.
The spokesperson added: “Senior council officers have undertaken site inspections within the town in order to consider any additional cleansing and presentational improvements that could be taken in the short term and have agreed to undertake some additional cleansing and other minor works.”
“Council will continue to work with all partners to ensure the upkeep and improvement of Strabane town centre, and to progress plans for the delivery of the Strabane Public Realm scheme as soon as possible.”
The Department for Communities has said that plans for the Public Realm Scheme in the town are still at an 'early stage'.
“The plans for a Strabane Public Realm scheme are at a relatively early stage," the spokesperson said.
"Approval of Departmental funding is dependent upon receiving a robust business case in support of this project from Derry City and Strabane District Council and availability of budget. A Business Case is expected from Council shortly and this will be considered as quickly as possible by the Department.“
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