Council cannot say when faulty lift will be fixed

Residents at Yantlet House said the lift had broken down at least eight times in the last year

A leading councillor has said she cannot guarantee when a faulty lift at a sheltered housing block will be fixed.

Residents at Yantlet House in Leigh-on-Sea say the lift has broken down at least eight times in the last year.

Eighty-five people, some of them residents, have handed in a petition to the building's management calling for them to be sorted out.

Anne Jones, the Labour deputy leader at Southend-on-Sea City Council, said it was "upsetting and disappointing" to hear of their experiences.

But asked when the lift would be repaired by BBC Essex presenter Sonia Watson, Jones said it was on a list "to be considered".

"We need to get a replacement that is safe and sustainable and reliable," said Jones.

"The lifts are part of a major programme of works and there are other lifts [in the borough] which are on the list which may need to be replaced."

Zeta Wise said she was stuck in a lift for half an hour and had to call the fire service to be rescued

Zeta Wise, 57, who has Parkinson's disease, said she was "very nervous" about leaving her flat and using the lift through fear it would break down.

"Twice in the last six weeks I have been stuck," she said.

"Luckily I had my mobile phone and called the fire brigade to rescue me - I panicked."

She said the issue stopped her from visiting her brother, who has multiple sclerosis and is bedridden.

"It's affected my life quite badly."

Ms Wise said South Essex Homes - which manages social housing for the council - gave her compensation but that it "didn't make the situation better".

Teresa Bennett (left), pictured with her son, said she would move out of Yantlet House partly because of issues in the block

Another resident, Teresa Bennett, 71, said she was moving out partly because of the issues.

"I rely on that lift but I want to move now, because unless my son is around, I am housebound," she said.

Catherine Brodie, secretary of Acorn Community Union which has campaigned on behalf of residents, said the problems went further than just a broken lift.

"People have called for different types of repairs that either never get done or are finished and the bins overflow with rubbish," she said.

Jones said a new contractor for the waste had been agreed and it was now going to be "different".

In a joint statement, Southend-on-Sea City Council and South Essex Homes said it acknowledged the concerns raised and took all feedback seriously.

It was aware of the problems with the lift and said it was "working closely" with contractors to make sure problems did not reoccur.

However, it said: "Some of the concerns recently raised with South Essex Homes don't reflect our experience of managing this block."