Investigation launched after claims workmen ‘p****d' in public and ‘whistled' at passers-by
Manchester Council said it 'takes any accusations of inappropriate behaviour very seriously' and confirmed the incidents 'will be investigated and the appropriate action taken' after a resident's complaint.
The firm carrying out the project to install a bike lane on Oldham Road in the city centre, Octavius, said it has implemented 'extra training about proper conduct'.
READ MORE: Man arrested on suspicion of drug driving after horror M62 smash leaves person seriously injured
READ MORE: Nursery closes suddenly as Ofsted says it was 'failing to keep children safe'
Octavius also confirmed the an 'element' of the roadworks 'will be completed later than originally anticipated', expected to be July this year. One neighbour said the scheme, which started in February, was scheduled to finish last Sunday (April 27).
The same resident hit out at workmen's 'poor behaviour'.
'A guy pulled his pants down and started p***ing at 8:30am one morning,' said Chrissie Keener, who's lived on the road for 11 years. 'He was p***ing in one of the holes being dug.'
Ms Keener, who works in media, also said she witnessed staff 'eyeing up' a passerby.
She said: 'It was nothing overly aggressive. There was a woman jogging and they were eyeing her up and looking at each other. They have been whistling too. It's poor behaviour.
'I would not care if they got it done but they keep extending it.'
She also told the Local Democracy Reporting Service work has been slow: 'They have just started putting a pathway in.
'I do not know why a cycle lane is a mammoth project. Literally a 10 storey building has gone up faster next to it.
'I am not a builder but looking out you can see they have kept digging holes and refilling them. Most of the time there's no one working there.'
A spokesperson for Octavius said there had been a 'hiatus' on work due to 'delays in obtaining some essential materials'.
In a statement, they said 'extra training' has been implemented around 'conduct': 'We take the resident's views seriously and quickly arranged an in-person meeting with the project liaison officer to understand them better.
'The cycleway project is running to schedule. The work in front of the resident's house has started, but a delay in obtaining some essential materials – granite street furniture – is why the resident has observed a hiatus and why this specific element of the project will be completed later than originally anticipated.
'Project leaders have raised the resident's concerns about some conduct with the site team. It has been made clear that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated, in addition the team have all received extra training about proper conduct on site.'
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council added: "The council takes any accusations of inappropriate behaviour very seriously and we would like to reassure this resident that it will be investigated and the appropriate action taken."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
BREAKING: Children's homes where kids went 'missing overnight' shut down after sex attack claim
The private company behind five children's homes that were placed in special measures amid shocking failures has announced they have been permanently closed down. The conditions at three of the five homes operated by Dimensions Care Ltd were exposed by BirminghamLive after Ofsted inspectors made appalling discoveries during visits, including a child who went missing and later reported being sexually assaulted and possibly drugged by men in a hotel room. In a statement today the firm announced the small, family-style homes were to permanently close with immediate effect. READ MORE: Exposed - chaotic private children's homes where kids 'go missing overnight' and 'exploited' The homes were located across the region including three in Sandwell, Coventry and Telford that were all judged inadequate during recent inspections. Among their findings the inspectors interviewed one child at the home in Coventry who went missing all night and was 'drugged and sexually assaulted' by adult men. The aftercare and support they received was described as 'poor'. At a second home run by the same company, another child with a well known interest in knives and gangs and deemed 'at risk' was taken by home staff to meet up with dubious 'friends' on numerous occasions, ending up involved in crime, Ofsted inspectors found. And in yet another shocking incident, a child disappeared in the night 'for several hours' and staff did not realise until the child told them the next day. READ MORE: 'On the floor now' - watch police stop knife suspects in dramatic Birmingham city centre scenes The conditions experienced were exposed following Ofsted inspections in May and June. Among the councils contracting the homes to look after vulnerable children were Birmingham City Council and Coventry City Council. Other failings included: * There was no evidence at one home that 'children even lived there'. "There are no toys, games, photos or their belongings on display." * Police were called by staff after two children 'broke in' to their own kitchen in the night because it was kept locked to prevent them getting food. * A child who had moved in four weeks earlier had not unpacked the few belongings they arrived with, while their 'precious possessions' had still not been collected from their previous home. * One teenager, in the middle of GCSEs, was allowed to stay in bed all day despite having an exam. "There was no support, encouragement or routine in place." A later inspection at a third home, in Telford, also found shocking failures. Inspectors said: 'Weak leadership and management of the home means that children are not safe. There are immediate risks to the safety and well-being of the children living at the home.' They found kids were moved in without 'considering how children who already live at the home can live safely with new children who move in. As a result, some children have faced unplanned moves out of the house and significant police involvement.' They found: 'Serious incidents have resulted in harm to some children.' Two children left the home at night 'to meet with unknown males which put them at significant risk of harm.' Staff supported the children to return home safely 'but support for the children following this incident was poor. Staff did not act to reduce risk for these children.' They also found 'four children have experienced frequent and serious episodes of going missing from the home, during which they have been at significant risk of harm.' A fourth home also received a critical report. All were downgraded to inadequate. READ MORE: Heartbreaking tributes as much loved Moseley campaigner and city councillor dies READ MORE: Big fall in number of dead and injured on region's roads after speeding crackdown In a statement today the firm said: "It is with much regret that Dimensions Care has decided to permanently close its five care homes and has applied to Ofsted to voluntarily cancel its registration as a provider of social care. "We are working with local authorities to find alternative places of care for four children from across three of our homes. Children from our other two homes have already been placed with alternative registered providers of care. "These decisions have been extremely difficult to make, and they are outcomes that we've worked hard to avoid. Disappointingly and sadly for everyone involved, there was a decline in our previous 'Good', Ofsted-graded standards, which should not have happened. "Having completed an internal investigation and after continuing to collaborate with Ofsted, we determined that the permanent closure of our homes and our voluntary deregistration is the most appropriate way forward. "We remain grateful for the ongoing commitment, hard work and understanding of our frontline staff, and are working closely with them on next steps." Dimensions Care Ltd is a relatively small, £1m a year turnover company, with five premises. Its owners include directors of a much bigger company, Tristone Group, previously Tristone Capital, which recorded revenue of £26.5 million for the year ending March 2024, and reported an operating profit of £2.4 million, which was 60% up on the year before. Most of its revenue is from providing specialist adult and child residential care.
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
Police make arrest after two injured in horror M62 crash
Police have made an arrest after two people were injured in a horror crash on the M62 on Sunday morning (August 10). Emergency services were called to the smash at around 7.30am near to the junctions 19 for Heywood and 18 for Simister Island. National Highways warned motorists to 'plan ahead' if travelling in the area and to expect delays of more than 45 minutes as lanes were closed by emergency crews. READ MORE: Dad died on dream holiday after being struck down with food poisoning from half-cooked chicken READ MORE: Traffic stopped on M62 motorway due to 'serious collision' Never miss a story with the MEN's daily Catch Up newsletter - get it in your inbox by signing up here Police and paramedics were called to the scene, with two cars seen badly damaged following the collision which caused debris to spill over multiple lanes. One man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence and was taken into custody. A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "Officers were called to reports of a collision between two vehicles on the M62 at around 7.30am this morning. "Two people received minor injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening or changing. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE "One man has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Enquiries are ongoing." --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Yahoo
Police caught him after one burglary - it was only the beginning
A man who was identified following the burglary of a Manchester city centre business was later linked to another 28 offences. Forensic investigators were able to link Iain Dickinson, from Moss Side, to a burglary on Quay Street thanks to evidence recovered at the scene. Greater Manchester Police says the incident, which took place on June 1, came amid a spike in burglaries at business premises across the city in May and June this year. READ MORE: 'We've been stuck in a hotel room living off Pot Noodles for weeks, it's a nightmare' READ MORE: LIVE: M60 and M62 hit by long queues with lanes closed Dickinson, 41, was interviewed by police following his arrest in June, when he admitted to a 'significant number' of additional offences. Sign up to the MEN Court newsletter here Following further investigative work, and admissions by Dickinson, he was ultimately charged with seven counts of burglary and one count of criminal damage. But that was not the full extent of his offending - as a further 21 burglary offences were taken into consideration, bringing the total number of offences to 29. GMP says Dickinson is responsible for more than £18,000-worth of stolen goods and damages. He was remanded in custody after being charged and has since been recalled to prison. Dickinson, of Maine Road, was sentenced to 44 months in prison at Manchester Crown Court. He was also handed an eight-year Criminal Behaviour Order, effective from August 6, which puts restrictions on his movements and will be supervised. Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of the City of Manchester neighbourhood crime team, said: "This result is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our officers and staff across multiple teams, who are committed to tackling burglary offending. "Our work allowed us to uncover Dickinson as a persistent offender whose actions have caused significant disruption and distress to local businesses and communities. "By securing this conviction, and uncovering a total of 29 offences, we've not only brought justice to those affected but also prevented further harm. Furthermore, the Criminal Behaviour Order will help us manage his movements and reduce the risk of reoffending. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE "This case highlights the power of teamwork and intelligence-led policing, and I'm incredibly proud of everyone involved. Their efforts have made a real difference in keeping Greater Manchester safer." A GMP spokesperson added: "The successful outcome was the result of large and collaborative effort from multiple GMP teams, including the City of Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, CSI, Manchester Council ASBAT team as well as Longsight and the City Centre Neighbourhood Beat Officers."
