A woman who recently had her leg amputated has finally had her plea for a housing association to adapt her house to meet her new needs answered after two local politicians stepped in to help.
Earlier this year Linda Jowitt, who has lived at Dan y Coed, Clydach for more than 40 years, needed an emergency operation which required the amputation of her leg.
Following the operation, she desperately needed her property, which is owned by Monmouthshire Housing Association, to be made disabled-friendly to enable her to access her house fully.
Initially the housing association said Ms Jowitt would need to move to another property instead of her home being adapted for her use.
Ms Jowitt said:: “This year has been extremely difficult for me, and Monmouthshire Housing Association’s initial refusal to make alterations to my house made it a hundred times worse.
“This has been my home for 40 years and my memories are tied here. I didn’t want to leave – it’s where I raised my children, who incidentally live with me still.
“Without the adaptation to my home I would have had no choice but to (somehow) learn to crawl up my stairs so that I could at last access my upstairs bathroom to shower and wash my hair.
“I asked the Association to act to sort out this mess.”
And following lobbying by Cllr Jane Pratt, who is also Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Neighbourhood Services, and Peter Fox the Member of the Senedd for the Monmouth consituency Monmoutshire Housing Association has said it will now carry out the necessary work.
Cllr Pratt said: “The ordeal Ms Jowitt was put through was wholly unacceptable and I wasted no time in seeking a swift solution for her.
“I understand that Monmouthshire Housing Association is now addressing the situation which I welcome, but time is of the essence, and it needs to happen swiftly, without any delay.”
Peter Fox, MS for Monmouth, who also pressed for work to go ahead at Ms Jowett’s home said: “The pain Ms Jowitt has endured is unimaginable and it is right that serious questions have been urgently asked.
“I am pleased that MHA has now acted to address the serious situation Ms Jowitt found herself in.”
John Keegan, Monmouthshire Housing’s CEO said; “This was a complex case due to the nature of Mrs Jowitt’s disability and the structure of the property.
‘‘As always, MHA will take advice from professionals and listen to all stakeholders and in particular our tenants before coming to the most mutually satisfactory solution possible.
‘‘We are pleased to have come to a solution with Mrs Jowitt, a long standing tenant whose requirements were always foremost in our thoughts and actions”.