A Hadleigh councillor has made an emotional speech about the shame being brought on the town by failure of a charity to deal the damp and chronic conditions being endured by some of its elderly residents.

Huw Roberts spoke passionately at the full Hadleigh town council meeting last night to highlight the plight being suffered by residents at the Hadleigh Grand Feoffment Charity's (HGFC) alms houses in George Street and Benton Street.

With his voice seemingly cracking with emotion at times, Cllr Roberts described how bad the conditions some of the homes were in, fear among residents to speak out, and apparent lack of a clear plan by the HFGC to sort out immediate problems.

In a letter to the town council as a response to councillors that had expressed concerns following a Hadleigh Nub News article in May, Geoffrey Dyball, collector and managing agent for the HGFC, explained the history of the charity and vaguely outlined the work it was doing and finished by writing: "The work of the charity is something that Hadleigh can be proud."

However Cllr Roberts said: "From what I have seen and heard, I have to disagree. If councillors see what I have seen they would disagree with that statement too.

"When I saw the pictures in the press before getting elected, like many readers I was appalled and angry.

"Now having seen for myself, the anger has not subsided because these residents are still trying to get their homes to a decent standard so they can live in them.

"After visiting them the strongest feeling I had was not anger, but shame.

"Shame that we in Hadleigh seem content to let out our poor and vulnerable people put up with terrible conditions for such an extended period.

"Shame that so little action seems to have been taken for so long.

"These residents are our constituents, they may approach you as they did me. If they do I urge you to go and see their living conditions for yourselves."

In his update to fellow councillors, Cllrs Frank Minns, Gordon McLeod, Rickaby Shearly-Sanders and Carol Schleip, who are the town council's nominated trustees on the HGFC, Cllr Roberts explained how he had been appalled and angry after reading the Nub News' article about the state of alms houses in George Street but found after visiting the homes, at the invitation of residents, it was even worse.

"What I saw, was as reported and pictured in the press report – and more," he said.

"Damp patches on the floor and walls and ceilings. Floors and walls bulging due to damp and a roof that needed repairs. There seemed to be, to my untrained eye, symptoms of chronic and widespread damp.

"To a small number, the charity were doing something even if they were not happy with what is being done. But for a majority nothing was being done and this was consistent with reports in the press."

Following his visit to the homes behind Chapel Row, Cllr Roberts was discreetly invited by residents at Benton Street to see the state of their homes.

He told councillors: "They sent me more pictures and they are even more shocking than the ones in the press article.

"I'm being vague on details for a reason, because what I found was the theme was fear – with people not wanting to give names. I don't know if that fear is justified, but it is certainly sincere. Those that did speak to me showed the courage of people at the end of their tether.

"As one of the residents said to me: "Life here is not a life."

Cllr Roberts felt the letter from Mr Dyball had not expressed the issues perviously raised by the council, and added: "If you look at the charity's response in their letter and then compare it to the levels of anxiety, anger, despair expressed to me by some of the residents, it is like two different worlds."

Councillor Rolf Beggerow also expressed disappointment in the response by the charity and suggested, that while thanking the HGFC for responding, it should give a more detailed plan of action.

He also questioned if the charity had enough financial backing and asked how much do they need to deal with what they need to do.

Cllr Andrew Knock also agreed concerns residents were too fearful to report their issues and that could be linked to being asked for feedback as they were being paid their heating allowance.

"Given the vulnerability and nature this strikes me as an inadequate and flawed way of trying to get feedback; has no one thought about this?"

The town council agreed to write back to the HGFC, thanking them for their response but pointing out they did not feel reassured as it was inadequate, does not give details of a plan or how it would be paid for nor address the immediate issues.

An invitation for a HFGC trustee to speak at the council meeting was repeated.

Mr Dyball has recently returned to work fro the charity after previous manager Glenn Root resigned following the Hadleigh Nub news article highlighting criticism of his and chair Penny Cook's lack of action and communication.

The HGFC was established in the 1500s from the will of Archbishop Pykenham and the first houses were built at the bottom of Benton Street in 1525, followed by others in George Street, Inkerman Terrace, Magdalen Road, making a total of 31.

Although residents do not pay rent, a maintenance charge was introduced for new allocations, which amounts to £130 per month, and as some do not pay anything, the average contribution is currently £91 per month to the charity.

Angry residents speak out Full story here...