Peeblesshire News | News | Resident's rage at Tweedbridge

Thursday, 4th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 10th October, 2008 12:30

Resident's rage at Tweedbridge

By David O'Leary

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A disabled resident of Tweedbridge Court has accused his landlord of both mismanagement and wasting money.

Stewart McPherson, who lost his leg in an accident in 1997, slammed Margaret Blackwood Housing Association following last week's story in the Peeblesshire News about the opening of a respite care service at the facility.

The service offers a two-bedroom flat that has been specially designed and equipped for a person living with disabilities.

It will also help carers to have a break from their caring responsibilities in the knowledge that their family member has good support.

However, the father of three believes that the £24,000 cost of the service would have been better spent on renovating the 30-year old complex.

Mr McPherson told also how he proposed the idea of respite care several years ago, in his then role of Chairman of the Tweedbridge Residents Committee, only to be told by MBHA that it was not financially viable.

He said: "We suggested this 5 years ago as a way to make some income and also as a solution to flats lying vacant in the court. MBHA said that it just wasn't financially viable.

"The facility is also marked for demolition in a year or two so this money is just being thrown down the drain. It seems that just because Scottish Borders Council are footing the bill that it's all of a sudden okay to spend the money.

"MBHA put business first and their tenants second. THe windows leak, doors don't fit, there's damp on the walls and cracks in the ceilings. It's a shambles.

They tell the residents nothing it's like dealing with the secret service."

MBHA Chief Executive Peter Mountford-Smith however dismisses Mr McPherson's claims.

He said: "We found that the conversion of flats to respite care a number of years ago would in fact not provide value for money. Tweebbridge Court is 30 years old and and we know that major changes are needed. We didn't want to just patch up the scheme.

"Our long-term plan has always been redevelopment as it will prove more cost effective because in the last three years alone we have spent over £85,000 on the maintenance of Tweedbridge.

"The reason that we have chosen to offer respite care now is that it is a short break service and we would not have the added expense upon the site's demolition of rehousing anyone that may move into the property on a permanent basis.

"Also, we can aid Scottish Borders Council by offering the use of an existing resource which would otherwise have been lying empty."

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