10:40am Sunday 22nd November 2009
By Scott McPherson
TERRIFIED Angela Ball has spoken of her horror at living at the top of the tallest building in Swindon with eleven broken windows which she has had to tape in place.
Mrs Ball, who has lived in a top floor flat of the David Murray John Tower in the town centre for six years, claims that Swindon Council and the previous landlord have not taken any steps at fixing the windows.
She said: “Practically every window in my flat is broken or smashed and it is really starting to affect me.
“The worst is my bedroom window, which I have had to tape to the frame, but the wind gets in and rattles it so I can’t sleep and it is quite scary because I am up so high.
“It has been going on for about four years and no-one will help or do anything about it.
“My roof was leaking for a long time and it took them so long to come out and fix that.
“I think it is ridiculous that the council are spending all this money on giving everyone in Swindon free wi-fi but they won’t even spend a few quid on fixing my windows.
“I have windows that are literally ready to fall out – something has to be done and fast.
“I suffer with depression and anxiety so this is making it so much worse – with the wind batting against the broken windows it makes an awful noise and I have to put up with a constant draught.”
A spokesman for Swindon Council said that a programme to repair windows in the building is just to start next year but that Mrs Ball will get new windows within the next few weeks.
He said: “The council is carrying out extensive improvement and repair work on the David Murray John Tower.
“This has included significant repairs to the roof, while a major window replacement programme costing tens of thousands of pounds will start next year.
“Mrs Ball recently had a problem with a leaking roof, which we have since fixed, and she is due to have her flat redecorated next week.
“As we are carrying out work in her flat, following an assessment, we have also informed Mrs Ball that we will be replacing her windows over the next few weeks, bringing forward the start of the planned window replacement programme.”
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