West End Letters: sub-standard | Cllr Phillipa Roe | Nuffield Institute | Sante Zanello | Macintosh House | Herbert Tan

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 16 October 2009

Sante Zanello at his Macintosh House home

Experts agreed house was ultimately sub-standard

• I WOULD like to reassure your readers that our primary concern has always been to offer residents the best standard of accommodation possible (‘We won’t be forced to leave’ October 9).
The council’s decision to close Macintosh House was not taken lightly and was only made following the advice of independent experts, including the respected Nuffield Institute.
After a detailed study, they found that after more than 40 years this building no longer met the high standards expected today and that it was ultimately sub-standard as residents, for example, had to use shared facilities such as bathrooms.
Since then we have successfully rehoused 26 of its former residents into better quality housing and have had positive feedback from those who have been relocated.
We aim to provide residents with accommodation and facilities which help them to live healthy, fulfilling and independent lives, and that is why the money raised from surrendering the Macintosh lease early is ring-fenced to improve accommodation in our other sheltered housing homes.
We are rightly proud of our track record in supporting older people, and are always looking to do more, working with our senior citizens so they receive the services and opportunities they so richly deserve.
We will continue to try and resolve this situation and explore all avenues with the two remaining residents at Macintosh House.
Cllr Philippa Roe
Cabinet Member for Housing

Shocking case

• THIS is a shocking case (‘We won’t be forced to leave!’ October 9).
It would appear Westminster City Council will attract more negative publicity because of this issue.
You reported that one of the tenants had asked to move to
St John’s Wood under the same rent for 10 years – which would seem more appropriate than the costs of keeping security guards on patrol.
Yes, Westminster City Council lost £17million in investing in Icelandic banks and want to sell off the building, but shouldn’t they be redeveloping this for the purpose it was bequeathed, up-to-date sheltered accommodation?
Or would they rather waste precious time by denying a reasonable offer from one or both the remaining tenants?
There must be a negotiated settlement in this matter and not some “mean machine”' trying to get the remaining tenants out.
I hope the two tenants find a successful resolution to this dispute.
Name and address supplied, W11

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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