MSP Michael McMahon slams council over feuding neighbour case

Jun 23 2011 By Alastair McNeill

AN MSP and council officials are to hold talks over a long-running Bothwell neighbourhood dispute.

Uddingston and Bellshill MSP Michael McMahon is unhappy about the way South Lanarkshire have dealt with the bust-up concerning constituents William and Jeanette Summers, of 56 Knockburnie Road.

They have been at odds with next-door neighbour Andrew Agnew, at number 58. The trouble appears to have started after Mr Summers complained about Mr Agnew feeding pigeons up to four times a day. Since then, Mr Summers claims, he has regularly suffered abuse and intimidation from Mr Agnew.

According to Mr Summers, his neighbour has shouted abuse at him and trained a floodlight on his property at night, wrongly believing him to have secreted a camera within a light above number 56's back door.

A sign stating 'Look Camara Scum' (sic) was nailed up on Mr Agnew's fence in March this year.

Mr Summers also pointed out that as the dispute continued he was subject to malicious complaints to the council and the Benefits Agency. The complaints were investigated and found to be groundless.

Mr McMahon said: "I have been dealing with this issue for five years. It's quite unacceptable anti-social behaviour from Mr Summers's neighbour.

"I have been disappointed by the local authority's inability to provide adequate support for Mr and Mrs Summers.

"Promises have been made to support them and they have not been fulfilled.

"It's quite evident what they've been subjected to is unacceptable.

"I've had constituents affected by anti-social behaviour to a lesser degree than this and it has been addressed by the local authority.

"Mr Summers has provided me with evidence, some of which may not be permissible in court. However, it is still evidence and shows the nature of the behaviour, and a basis for the authority to put together some kind of strategy to address the problem."

Three complaints made to the housing department - concerning allegations of "excessive noise" from the Summers's home, the use of a hidden camera and that Mr Summers had verbally abused Mr Agnew - were all dismissed by the authority.

And accusations of benefit fraud made against Mr Summers have been found to be unfounded.

Mr Summers said: "The council don't recognise that we are being deliberately targeted here with false allegations.

"We've suffered this on and off for seven years now. My wife is really distressed by the whole thing and is seeing a psychiatrist. She is on anti-depressants and I am on tablets for my blood pressure.

"I'd like the council to think about the complaints they are receiving and to look into the matter thoroughly."

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesman said that each complaint made by Mr Summers since 2005 about Mr Agnew had been investigated in line with Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and "appropriate action" taken.

She added: "In March, 2010, Mr Summers complained to the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman regarding the council's handling of his complaints. The Ombudsman did not uphold this complaint, and decided that the council complied with their policy in terms of our investigations and actions in this case, and had adequately considered Mr Summers's concerns.

"Since then Mr Summers has made two complaints regarding his neighbour. The first complaint was made in May, 2010, which was investigated and decided that there was insufficient evidence that anti-social behaviour had occurred. The other complaint is currently being investigated.

"In the last year, three complaints against Mr Summers have been received by the council from a neighbour. Each of these have been investigated in accordance with our policy and found that there is insufficient evidence of anti-social behaviour occurring."

The council spokesman also pointed out that a meeting between officials and Michael McMahon regarding the case had been arranged.

The Advertiser contacted Mr Agnew for comment, but he did not respond before our deadline.