Housing association Roddons has once again come under fire for the state of rows of garages in Wisbech.

Speaking at a Fenland District Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting yesterday, chairman Councillor Jan French labelled the state of the garages in Storbeck Road as a “disgrace” and said the situation “certainly needs attention”.

“I really think Roddons needs to get their act together. There is a rat problem throughout the whole of the district and this certainly doesn’t help,” she said.

Councillor Rob Skoulding, who raised the issue at the meeting, said: “I would not want a garage amongst that lot. They need clearing up and the council should enforce that.

“I don’t want to let them go into rack and ruin and then they are suddenly pulled down and the next thing is they put houses on there.

“If we are going to put houses on there lets be honest and open. On Smiths Drive (March) they pulled down garages which fell into bad repair and put houses there. I have no objection to that.”

The garages, which were sold by Fenland District Council to Roddons seven years ago, are in a dilapidated condition with overgrown bushes and rubbish in front of them.

The issue has been boiling over for months - Wisbech Councillor Virginia Bucknor says she has been pressing for Roddons to tidy up the garages since May.

And Councillor Robert McLaren, frustrated at Roddons response, has asked for volunteers to help him tidy the site.

Richard Cassidy, FDC’s corporate director, when confronted on the issue at the meeting, said the council “clearly needs to engage with Roddons to discuss the problem”.

Anne Brighton, managing director at Circle Housing Roddons, said: “We understand residents’ concerns as we are committed to creating and maintaining fantastic outdoor spaces.

“We have spoken with local people about these unused garages and will be joining forces with them to clear the site so it can be properly maintained.”