Gran, 90, evicted from home after losing five-year battle
NINETY-YEAR-OLD grandmother Cissie Richardson has lost a five-year battle to save her home of 45 years from the bulldozers.
The retired butcher's assistant had held down five part-time cleaning jobs to help raise the £1,000 needed to buy her family's Shelton home in 1966.
But Stoke-on-Trent City Council moved in yesterday to board up the property after using a compulsory purchase order to force the pensioner to sell up.
Now Cissie, who is currently being cared for at a residential home after suffering a fractured hip, says she has nowhere to live after becoming the last resident to leave Wood Terrace.
The homes have been condemned after tests revealed they are structurally unsound.
Cissie, whose husband of 37 years died in 1981, said: "My home should not be taken away.
"I loved living there and didn't want to leave.
"I am feeling really down because I have nowhere to go. The process has made me ill."
The mother-of-three is currently at The Meadows Care Home as talks continue over how much she will receive for her house.
Wood Terrace was first declared a clearance area in November 2006. It is part of the Parkhouse Street clearance area, which includes Bedford Road, Rectory Road, Argyle Street, Clarke Street, Grove Place and Havelock Place, and will lead to the demolition of 53 houses.
Ten homes, including Cissie's, are still to be demolished in Wood Terrace, Rectory Road, Clarke Street and Argyle Street.
Daughter Yvonne Colgan, aged 66, of Basford, said: "My mother is a feisty old lady and marched across to the regeneration meetings to tell the council she would not leave. Even if the area does get regenerated it is ridiculous to knock down these beautiful houses. Mum was holding out as Shelton is her home."
Family friend and neighbour Mary Watts, aged 62, said: "Cissie fought hard to keep that house. She doesn't want to leave Shelton, because this is where she belongs and her possessions mean the world to her."
The council compulsorily purchased Cissie's home in August.
The property falls within the North Shelton regeneration area earmarked for new houses.
But council officials today said that developers for the project have not yet been found.
Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "We appreciate that leaving a property can be a distressing. "The property is the last in a row of six terrace houses in Wood Terrace the council has purchased.
"The properties will be included in our clearance programme which will leave the land in a suitable state for redevelopment. The area is part of the North Shelton masterplan, which acts as a blueprint for how the land can be developed. We are talking to potential developers."
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by Clozzer
Thursday, February 09 2012, 7:22PM
“I was forced out of my house in Balfour St. Like all the other residents I was ridiculed for stating that those houses shouldn't be knocked down because according to Renew, the3 street was unsafe. BMy house was left a derelict eyesore but now the 'unsafe' house is no longer being knocked down but converted into god knows what. I feel for you Cissie. I hope karma sorts this out, because the law won't.”
by blue_corsair
Thursday, February 09 2012, 5:17PM
“@MrEneoda" Put your blame where it belongs ... not with the poor sods left holding the baby"
Well these 'poor sods' didn't have to agree to it did they. There's too much of the "Not my fault guv"mentality in this council. Hasn't anyone there got an ounce of compassion or common sense? Mrs Richardson is now, in effect, homeless due to the wanton vandalism of Ruth Rosenau and her mob. How disgusting, underhanded and criminal of these vermin to make their move while an elderly lady is out of the way. They should all hang their heads in shame, of course they won't because in their warped minds they have done nothing wrong.
Perhaps they think Mrs Richardson can now stand on a corner in Hanley selling "The Big Issue".
Why couldn't they have left her in peace in her own home or at the very least found suitable accomodation for her locally so she can maintain her dignity and independence.
I hope Ruth Rosenau and her cronies live very long lives and that their old age is blighted by the type of injustice and inhumanity they have meted out to Mrs Richardson and others who have been so badly treated”
by stokeandvale
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 10:00PM
“Conversion between Doctor and Cisse.
Doctor I have Good news and Bad news Cisse.
Bad news first " You have fractured your Hip and wont be able climb your stairs at home Luv"
Good news " It doesn't matter because a nice Labour Councillor has just Knocked your house down while you were in theatre, thats good of them thinking of you like that".”
by markiegj
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 7:35PM
“We are a number to this council. I lost my home in Hanley because someone needed a all inclusive holiday. They are rotten to the core, They do not care if you are old, disabled or able bodied they will cut you down if you try to stand against them.
There is no money in house building, and there wont be for 10 years. The issue I have is that they knock a big house down then tell people to look at the "new" build but you find that what is offered is not enough for a cat box never mind a full sized house.”
by Hello73a
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 7:20PM
“This house won't be demolished instead it's going to be refurbished and put up for rent like the few on Rectory Rd, Shelton. So much was promised in Shelton and so LITTLE was delivered - Welcome to JOKE-on-Trent!!”
by MrEneoda
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 3:54PM
“All these comments miss one big point .... the current crop of councillors were all elected in MAy of last year (2011) .... the decision to clear this part of the city was made in 2006 ... with approval from an entirely different bunch of people ... all of it bankrolled by RENEW North Staffs as part of the Labour-funded Housing Market Pathfinder ...... before they drove us to the edge of bankruptcy.
This is a sorry story largely becaue it relates to one old lady .... there have been literally hundreds of others across the city - in Middleport, Northwood, Burslem etc etc .....
Put your blame where it belongs ... not with the poor sods left holding the baby.”
by truestokie
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 3:42PM
“Everyone on here See's the injustice in this.
The only ones that don't are Rosenau and her Labour Jackboot thugs.
Remind me Mrs Rosenau was you one of those that accused the BNP of being Nazi's?
The word hypocrite comes to mind.”
by greyguitar
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 3:35PM
“Disgusting. 90 years old and pushed out of her home. No doubt the paltry proceeds of the compulsory purchase will be taken by the care home too, so a life of toil and work makes you precisely nothing. Also no doubt, to rub salt into the wounds they'll sell the land to some interloper for £1.”
by pensioner46
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 3:27PM
“We should remember this at the next local elections and DON'T VOTE THESE UNCARING INCONSIDERATE AND TOTALLY USELESS COUNCILLORS IN AGAIN.
How would they like it if they went out one day only to return to find their homes boarded up
I agree with johnboy2011 it does not matter how much compensation she gets if she has to stay in a care home permanently, because of what this council has done all her money will be taken from her in fees.
After reading this I feel sick to the stomach thinking that this elderly lady is now in a council run home having to get use to new surroundings and people at her time of life.
Councillor Ruth Rosenau should be made to live in that home for at least a month and go through what Cissie Richardson must see as all that is left for her to do.
I hope that Cissie's daughter can show some of the fighting spirit that she says her Mum has and gets up a petition or even a protest and we the people of Stoke on Trent can get behind and support her on behalf of her Mother.
DONT FORGET THESE COUNCILLORS AT THE NEXT ELECTION”
by scrotempole
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 2:05PM
“Shocking, this should not be legal! How many years will it be before something is built there I wonder? It could stay as a pile of rubble for 10 years+. My heart goes out to her.”