Port Sunlight / Community / News / Village Issues

The family of an elderly Port Sunlight resident feel the area's stringent rules are making her a prisoner in her own home. Lily Savage ,88, of King George's Drive,qho is disabled, wants a short handrail fixed outside her Grade II listed property but has been told it is not in keeping with the look of the village. Said Mrs Savage's granddaughter Lynn Worthington: "We feel this is a disability rights issue. My grandmother is 88, disabled and has rented her house for 63 years. "She needs a handrail down the steps at the front of her house as she cannot get out without one, but the Village Trust has told her she needs planning permission to have one. This saga has now been going on for a year. The family has resorted to offering to pay for the alterations to be made.
Ms Worthington continued: "We are so sick of what has gone on we have said we are prepared to pay something for the rail, and now the trust has said it is prepared top waive the planning permission if we pay £480 - but there is no way my grandmother can pay that kind of money.

"But once we said we might pay, they were around within hours to measure up for the job."

The family believes it is the trust's responsibility to put up the rail on its property, as some houses already have rails and ramps, and are considering consulting the Disabilty Rights Commission on the matter.

However, it is unlikely Mrs Savage's family will have much success via this route as Andrew Tonkiss, of the Port Sunlight Village Trust, explained: "We as landlords have no legal obligation to provide ramps and handrails and we have consulted with the Disability Rights Commission and our solicitors."

He continued:"It is not that we are not willing to help, but we have had some verbal quotations for the work and they are quite a lot more expensive than we thought they would be. We are not ruling out doing the work entirely." Added Mr Tonkiss: "The handrail is not on the house but on the steps leading to the pavement from the front door." "I have had a meeting with Wirral Council's conservation officer and the access officer as such a decision is up to them. The rail would be a personal feature and woud remain there while the resident is still in the property."

At the time of going to press, Wirral Council had not provided a comment concerning the planning issues involved with the installation of the handrail. However it stated there was a possibility the council could fund the handrail. An assessment would need to be conducted after making an appointment by phoning 666 5262, which could take a couple of months. Consent work would need to be granted by the trust for the work to be carried out and could be subject to means-testing, depending on the cost of the work.

(Article from the Wirral News - September 11th 2002)

	[ VILLAGE ISSUES ] [ RULES MAKE PENSIONER FEEL LIKE A PRISONER ]
.	The family of an elderly Port Sunlight resident feel the area's stringent rules are making her a prisoner in her own home. Lily Savage ,88, of King George's Drive,qho is disabled, wants a short handrail fixed outside her Grade II listed property but has been told it is not in keeping with the look of the village. Said Mrs Savage's granddaughter Lynn Worthington: "We feel this is a disability rights issue. My grandmother is 88, disabled and has rented her house for 63 years. "She needs a handrail down the steps at the front of her house as she cannot get out without one, but the Village Trust has told her she needs planning permission to have one. This saga has now been going on for a year. The family has resorted to offering to pay for the alterations to be made. Ms Worthington continued: "We are so sick of what has gone on we have said we are prepared to pay something for the rail, and now the trust has said it is prepared top waive the planning permission if we pay £480 - but there is no way my grandmother can pay that kind of money. "But once we said we might pay, they were around within hours to measure up for the job." The family believes it is the trust's responsibility to put up the rail on its property, as some houses already have rails and ramps, and are considering consulting the Disabilty Rights Commission on the matter. However, it is unlikely Mrs Savage's family will have much success via this route as Andrew Tonkiss, of the Port Sunlight Village Trust, explained: "We as landlords have no legal obligation to provide ramps and handrails and we have consulted with the Disability Rights Commission and our solicitors." He continued:"It is not that we are not willing to help, but we have had some verbal quotations for the work and they are quite a lot more expensive than we thought they would be. We are not ruling out doing the work entirely." Added Mr Tonkiss: "The handrail is not on the house but on the steps leading to the pavement from the front door." "I have had a meeting with Wirral Council's conservation officer and the access officer as such a decision is up to them. The rail would be a personal feature and woud remain there while the resident is still in the property." At the time of going to press, Wirral Council had not provided a comment concerning the planning issues involved with the installation of the handrail. However it stated there was a possibility the council could fund the handrail. An assessment would need to be conducted after making an appointment by phoning 666 5262, which could take a couple of months. Consent work would need to be granted by the trust for the work to be carried out and could be subject to means-testing, depending on the cost of the work. (Article from the Wirral News - September 11th 2002)