the long-awaited, disabled persons flat
Email to Michael
29th September 2002
As discussed today: See what you and Lesley think.
We've given Chilterns a lot of slack in the last five months. Time
to realize that they don't give a monkeys, or are an organization
that requires a boot up the arse in order to get them to do anything.
This an outline that needs working up into the basis
for a website with the pictures:
After being promised a flat on April 17th this year,
John Close had to wait until late September, over five months, in
order to take over the tenancy. He was told at one stage by a social
worker that there had been a dispute between the builders and the
housing asociation.
When he got into his flat he discovered the probable
cause of the row that the flat had only been half fitted out for
use by a disabled person, and the row had probably been about who
was responsible and who was going to pay for the alterations.
At the moment the only obvious loser is John, whose
motor neurone disease has left him more disabled than ever while
he has been an unhappy resident at a nursing home miles away from
friends in Leighton Buzzard. His life expectancy is possibly two-three
years and five months is a decent percentage of that period. His
health and life expectancy have not been enhanced by putting his
life on hold whilst in the home, nor by the negligent attitude of
the builders and-or housing association.
The ha agent for the area cannot be contacted and
works from home. The housing association office is generally hostile
and most calls go to ansafones but they rarely return calls.
The builders are long since gone and it is not their
responsibility now anyway.
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