Please fight for our most vulnerable

John O’donnell is right to raise the issue of safety at Hanscomb House (Flat Attack Raises Safety Issues, Kentish Gazette, March 17).

It is also a huge concern for all the residents, their families, carers and staff at all the enhanced and sheltered housing facilities in Canterbury, Whitstable, and Herne Bay.

My mother is 98 years old and lives in Whitgift Court.

She is very concerned that loss of night and day staff will severely affect her safety and that of the other elderly and vulnerable residents.

Although, as far as I am aware, no other facility has had an event such as that at Hanscomb, there have been incidents when safety has been compromised by potential fraudsters who gaining entry by slipping in behind a genuine visitor.

Were it not for the staff present being alert and confronting these people, they could have caused hurt and distress to the residents.

I was assured at a consultation meeting with East Kent Housing that the proposed changes complied with health and safety regulations.

I fail to see how when it is proposed that these elderly and vulnerable people will be left on their own from late afternoon until 8.30am on weekdays and from Friday afternoon until Monday morning with no live interaction at all.

At Whitgift there is a camera at the front entrance to the property but none at any of the other external doors and no other surveillance throughout the building.

I find this absence of staff extremely worrying.

At the recent meeting of Canterbury City Council’s community committee, where members of the public spoke strongly against the cuts, it was decided to defer the decision until May.

Can I ask our communities to support our most vulnerable residents? Enhanced