Linden Court - money talks, residents ignored.

1.28.01pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 2nd Oct 2006

Linden Court in Hurworth Place consists of 32 flats, four blocks of eight. It is sheltered accommodation for older people, with a warden on site. To bring the property up to modern standards (and to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act) the residents were promised new bathrooms and kitchens some years ago. In order to prevent further disruption to residents, Darlington Borough Council closed the waiting list for Linden Court five months ago.

As a result, Linden Court has 27 residents and a live-in warden.

Last week, Darlington Borough Council called a meeting of residents, supposedly to inform them of the start date for the renovations. Instead, they were told that Linden Court was to be demolished and replaced with a smaller block of 20 flats. Seven displaced residents would not be able to return!

Neither Martin Swainston, the Lib Dem councillor for Hurworth or Peter Foster, the Conservative councillor for Hurworth were informed of the meeting - a deliberate attempt to prevent them from attending. Thankfully, Martin was tipped off about the meeting and was able to attend.

As well as reducing the number of flats from 32 to 20, half the land on which Linden Court stands is to be sold off to a private developer to build flats on. These flats will sell for over £200,000 each.

No proper study has been made as to whether the current building can be updated. Lifts can be installed for as little as £10,000 per block as they only need to be small scale wheelchair lifts.

Not only will the number of residents be reduced but the full-time warden with be replaced with one shared out among other units on a telephone call-out system. Rents will also increase significantly.

Few residents appear to be in favour of the plan. Those who will not be allowed to return are very worried about their future.

The falsehoods and inaccuracies contained in various statements from the Council is unacceptable. They are dealing with real people's lives here. Cllr Dixon even suggested that the polite round of applause for the Council's officers at the end of their meeting with residents indicated that the residents were in favour of the scheme. They are not! The Hurworth senior citizens' club is strongly against the reduction in numbers at Linden Court - and so are we.

Why is the Council so keen to reduce the provision of sheltered accommodation for older people at a time when the population is aging? Money talks! Selling our land for private profit is a short-term and misguided approach. The Council should be taking care of its residents, not trying to bolster its coffers to try to make up some of the overspend on the Pedestrian Heart.