‘He’s a prisoner in his own home’

Bromley Council has approved a £20,000 grant to turn the ground floor of 67-year-old Russell Madden's into a living and bathroom area.

But the council has no money left in its yearly budget for these kind of renovations so the work cannot begin until the next financial year in April 2006.

This will be 11 months after Mr Madden had his stroke.

His 56-year-old wife Maureen said: "The benefits system is in a mess and money is being wasted.

"My husband has been made to suffer because the Government is inefficient. They should know how much money a department needs."

This budget problem has left Mr Madden stranded on the middle floor of their three-floor townhouse in Broadheath Drive, Chislehurst.

Former financial researcher Mrs Madden said: "He is a prisoner in his own house and he is using the dining area as a toilet and he cannot wash or have a proper bath.

"It is outrageous because people like him should be helped."

Mr Madden can hardly move on his own. He has to be hoisted from his bed to the commode, his armchair and his wheelchair.

When the work is completed Mrs Madden will be able to take her husband out in his wheelchair.

She will also be able to use a ceiling hoist to move him on her own.

At the moment two carers come in every day to help her move him.

The work will take between six to eight weeks to complete.

This year the budget for disabled facilities grants in Bromley was £1,100,000.

Central government gave £537,000 of this money with the remaining £563,000 coming from the council.

Disabled facilities grants are awarded by Bromley Council to help disabled people adapt their homes to make their lives easier.

A Bromley Council spokesman said: "We assess each and every individual case and of course demand for grants fluctuates annually.

"We try to meet demand as best we can but obviously this is an extremely expensive business and it is not surprising our budgets are always tight."