106-year-old loses care home fight
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Your support makes all the difference.A battle by one of Britain's oldest women to stop the closure of her council-run care home failed at the Court of Appeal today.
Campaigning solicitor Yvonne Hossack, representing 106-year-old Louisa Watts, was told by two judges that there were no grounds to allow an appeal.
Lord Justice Sedley said: "If there were any firm findings that moving Mrs Watts would shorten her life the decision would be quite different.
"Mrs Watts is entitled to the full benefit of every day that still remains to her."
But he said reports showed that there was no risk to Mrs Watts being moved out of Underhill House in Bushbury Wolverhampton to a new care home.
"Provided it is properly managed it should not do her any appreciable harm," he said.
Lord Justice Sedley and Mr Justice Owen refused permission to appeal and lifted an injunction blocking Wolverhampton City Council from carrying out the closure.
Miss Hossack, who has been involved in court cases preventing the closure of more than 80 care homes, was trying to stop the removal of the last nine residents at Underhill House.
The council, which says the home does not meet current standards and would cost £2m to refurbish, gave an undertaking to the court that an impact assessment would be made on every resident to determine the affect a move will have on their life and health and how or whether that could be managed.
Widow Mrs Watts, a former hospital cleaner who moved to the home five years ago, at first went out with friends to bingo and fish and chip suppers, said Lord Justice Sedley.
But she was now becoming more and more infirm and deaf.
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