“THE COUNCIL has failed in its equality duty,” a resident has said, after a town centre building was left without a working lift.
Kieran Evans, whose name has been changed, accused Wokingham Borough Council and housing association Housing Solutions of putting vulnerable residents at a disadvantage in Lockwood Court.
He alleged the four floor block of flats, on Ashville Way, was without a working lift for more than six months — but Housing Solutions said the elevator, which has since been fixed, was only out of action for 10 days.
According to Mr Evans, the lift was temperamental before it allegedly stopped working in the spring — and he fears it was creating a fire hazard.
“There have been problems with the lift in the past, such as it would leave a floor and stop after two feet,” he said.
“I’ve had to climb down before now and I know the fire brigade have been called umpteen times when the emergency alarm hasn’t worked.
“The lift [was then] out of order completely for in excess of six months.”
Mr Evans said multiple residents contacted Housing Solutions and Wokingham Borough Council about the issue.
“Last time I rang Housing Solutions, they said the lift had been fixed in April,” he said. “Other people I’ve met on the stairs have also rung them and heard there’s no record of any problems.
“But I’ve seen people struggling up and down the stairs with buggies and babes in arms, or hopping down on crutches.”
Now, Mr Evans is urging the council and the housing association to offer residents compensation.
“We feel cheated,” the Wokingham resident said. “While some people in the block are housing association tenants, some flats are privately let and some people may be here for housing benefit-related reasons, the council has a duty to us all.
“Within the block, there are young families with babies, disabled people and pregnant women. [There could have been] an accident.”
He accused the council and the housing association of breaching their obligations under the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Duty.
“Housing Solutions is providing services on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council so they are all bound by the same law,” Mr Evans added.
“They are putting people who are pregnant and disabled at a disadvantage, and these people are protected by law.
“It is unacceptable that they should continuously be ignored by the council and their contractor.”
Cllr John Kaiser, executive member for finance and housing, said the borough council reached out to Housing Solutions after hearing Mr Evans’ worries.
He said: “Lockwood Court is owned and managed by registered provider Housing Solutions and the council are not involved in the general maintenance of this property. However, we take the welfare of our residents seriously and requested Housing Solutions to take immediate action to resolve the matter.”
A spokesperson for Housing Solutions confirmed the lift was fixed on Friday, October 10.
They echoed Cllr Kaiser and said residents’ welfare is an utmost priority, and said the lift in Lockwood Court is subject to quarterly checks.
“These were successfully carried out in January, May and July, and on Friday, October 1,” the spokesperson explained. “We also undertake two inspections a year.
“Recently we received several calls out to the lift and our contractors identified an issue with a faulty brake switch.”
