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THT apologises to group of elderly Flixton residents

From the archive, first published Tuesday 31st Jul 2007.

TRAFFORD Housing Trust has apologised for causing stress to a group of elderly residents after a letter was "sent out in error".

Elderly people at Flixton's Calder Court face an uncertain future after they discovered in May that the trust wants to go-ahead with plans to bulldoze their homes.

The trust says it has no time scale for its proposals but wants to demolish properties at Calder Court and replace them with 43 extra care scheme' two bedroom properties.

The letter, despite the trust previously promising residents assistance with relocation, said they would have to bid for properties through a letting scheme.

THT chief executive Matthew Gardiner said: "We apologise to sheltered tenants who may have received the letter from the trust's choice based lettings team last month.

"We understand that receiving the letter must have been very confusing for our older tenants and we are very sorry for any confusion this may have caused."

He added: "Finding new homes for our older tenants in the three schemes, which the trust has had to take the difficult decision of closing following the sheltered review, is of course a priority for the trust.

"Clearly, we would not expect tenants affected by this difficult but necessary decision to have to follow the traditional lettings bidding process.

"Instead, dedicated officers at the Trust are working closely with tenants in the three schemes to find them new homes with the Trust which suit their individual needs and are in the areas of the borough that they want to live in."

The Trust says the decision to close Calder Court is not reversible, but so far a date has not been set for the closure of the scheme. Tenants have been promised when a decision is made they will be given at least six months notice.

Meanwhile a group of 16 elderly residents at the scheme have expressed their desire to remain and have formed the Calder Court Residents' Forum.

Spokeswoman Brenda Timms said: "It is our opinion that that the options in the second stage review are entirely driven by financial and economic factors.

"They do not consider the well being and quality of life of the elderly residents and therefore we reject the current proposal presented by THT and see no reason to relocate.

"Moreover a certain number of residents consider that tactics of coercion, bribery and threats being made on vulnerable residents to relocate will only cause alienation beyond that which currently exists."

Stretford and Urmston MP Bev Hughes met members of the Calder Court Residents' Forum on Friday morning.

She said: "It is traumatic for these residents to have no choice but to move home, and it is especially difficult when Calder Court is such a close community where people give each other a lot of support.

"It's very important that each resident feels they have control over their decisions and I am working with the Residents Forum to support them in this."

What do you think about the situation at Calder Court? Post your comments below...