Fears raised

SHELTERED housing on the Isle of Mull for people who need extra support is under threat.

SHELTERED housing on the Isle of Mull for people who need extra support is under threat after residents were told the property is to become a residential home,

The change will mean the loss of much-needed support currently given to residents according to Colin McEwan, a resident and steering group member at Glen Iosal, which is in Tobermory.

He said: ‘ There is nowhere else on Mull for people with various conditions including mental health issues to stay.

‘ This is a central government cut on the home and it is short- sighted. Trust Housing provides our tenancy in Tobermory. At the moment we have a full-time officer, Linda Noble.

‘ We have been told that her hours have to reduce as part of a wider saving throughout Argyll. There has been a £ 76,000 budget cut to Trust Housing – in order to make the saving staff hours are being cut.

‘ They [ Trust Housing] are not thinking by any manner of means. The cost of care from Linda at Glen Iosal is probably about £14.80 per resident per week. This equates to an hourand- a-half a week of care. We get so much more than that.

‘ There is no way that by reducing costs for Linda’s work would then work out as a saving.

‘ There are a number of residents who want to pay the shortfall for Linda’s wages. I have tried to find out the actual figures for the costs of keeping a full-time warden – but I have heard zilch from Trust Housing and the many questions I have asked of them.’

Jennifer Wallace, head of housing and support services for Trust Housing, said: ‘ We have received notice from the council that housing support funding for our sheltered development on Tobermory will no longer be available from April 2018.

‘ We appreciate this is a difficult time for our staff, tenants and their families. We are currently working with the council, our tenants and the board to discuss how the service will look going forward.’