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Les Hyde and his wife Vera with Councillor Catherine West |
Scaffolding hitch leaves elderly shivering
PENSIONERS who face escalating fuel bills are being told they cannot have their homes insulated – because it’s too costly for the Town Hall to put up scaffolding.
Opposition Labour councillors have accused Homes for Islington – the borough’s housing agency – of being “cruel and mean-spirited”.
The row comes in the week that a high-profile Lib Dem councillor, Andrew Cornwell, stepped down from the Town Hall’s ruling executive, complaining of wasteful spending on highly-paid staff and consultants.
Council tenants are entitled to free home insulation under a government-funded Warm Homes scheme. Filling in cavity walls and insulating windows can make homes warmer and cut fuel bills, as well as helping the environment.
But in Pilgrims Way, Archway, at least two thirds of tenants have not had the work done because there is no money to pay for scaffolding. They have been told that part of the problem is that, because their homes are on a slope, under new health and safety rules ladders cannot be used.
Vera Hyde, vice-chairwoman of Hillrise Tenants and Residents Association, is one of those whose home is not being insulated.
Mrs Hyde, 77, is worried about her husband Les, 78, who suffers from acute rheumatoid arthritis. She said: “I’m fighting this because I believe everyone on this estate is entitled to be treated the same. Why insulate some homes and not the rest?
“They’ve been picking out people who don’t need scaffolding.”
One of her friends on the estate who had had the work done could feel the difference in warmth in the house within 15 minutes, Mrs Hyde added.
“They waste money on things like digital aerials,” she said. “Insulation is something we all need to keep warm.”
Another tenant, Agnes McCormach, who has lived on the estate for 30 years, was equally angry. She said: “First, I got a letter from the council about their plans to install insulation. Then I saw the men working on the estate. I asked them when they would be doing my place. They said ‘sorry, love, your home is not on our list’.”
Labour opposition leader Councillor Catherine West said: “This insulation is essential. It’s more important than gimmicky schemes like windmills on top of council buildings. We have an estate with a high number of OAPs who need to keep warm.”
Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn felt it was “ridiculous” and “unfair” that tenants should miss out on insulation when Britain was moving towards more rational use of energy.
Homes for Islington chief executive Eamon McGoldrick said there was a pot of money but it did not cover homes that needed scaffolding.
He added: “If you are on the second or third floor the work is relatively easy to do by ladders. Above that or on a hill it’s a lot more tricky and you need scaffold. We appreciate some households have missed out this year. We’re hoping to negotiate with government and council for some similar funds next year so the work with scaffolding can be done. When you have a rationed pot of money you will always get winners and losers.” |
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