Walton man with no legs in housing battle

Sep 1 2009 By Rupert Basham, Surrey Herald

A DOUBLE amputee who has had his legs removed claims Elmbridge Housing Trust and the borough council have made him wait almost six months for a property with wheelchair access.

Alan LePage, 53, from Hersham, says he is disgusted with both organisations for failing to rehouse him, despite letters from Esher and Walton MP Ian Taylor and his occupational therapist saying his case is urgent.

Mr LePage had his second leg removed in April. He has Addison's disease, where the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the hormone cortisol, and vascular disease, a hardening of the arteries which harms blood flow.

The father-of-two, who cannot leave his flat unassisted, said: "I'm not asking for the world, I'm just asking for help. I have been told I

am at the top of the list for rehousing in Elmbridge, but have been waiting for nearly six months. It's absolutely disgusting. I'm a very independent person, but living in this flat makes me feel like a prisoner.

"It is very awkward to get over the step into the flat, even with help. I can't even go to the bathroom. I've got some very good friends, but people have their own lives and I don't expect them to look after me. I want to be able to have a life." [25cf] Continued on page 5.

Following his operation, Mr LePage was visited by an occupational therapist, who wrote to the council stating he urgently needed to be rehoused.

Mr LePage, a former usher for Kingston Crown Court, had his right leg amputated in late 2007. Since then he has used a prosthetic leg and walking sticks to move about.

After his second amputation - made necessary by gangrene - he was under the impression he would be moved quickly, and even started to pack his belongings.

But by June there had been no further progress, so Mr LePage contacted MP for Esher and Walton, Ian Taylor.

After speaking to Mr LePage, Mr Taylor wrote to the chief executive of Elmbridge Housing Trust, Scott Baxendale, to voice concerns about Mr LePage's housing problems.

Mr LePage says he is keen to move so that he can set about adapting to his new way of life and regaining his independence.

He said: "I hope to return to work eventually, or perhaps go to college, but how am I supposed to do that if I can't leave my home?

"At the moment, if it is a sunny day, I can't even go outside, and I feel like a little child if I sit looking out of the window. It feels like a breach of my human rights. I was promised help but now I'm left feeling baffled, bewildered and confused."

A spokesperson for Elmbridge Housing Trust said that Mr LePage is not on its waiting list, but the council's, and added that the difficulty in reaccommodating him was that a suitable property was not available.

A spokesman for Elmbridge Borough Council said it could not discuss details of individual cases.

However he added: "We would like to make it clear that we are doing our best to help Mr LePage with alternative accommodation. Our officers have recently carried out a home visit to further assess his situation and discuss his needs.

"We are working closely with our housing association partners to identify a suitable property for him. We would be more than happy to meet with Mr LePage to discuss this further with him."