Herald Express (Torquay)
July 23, 2004

Grant plea on car port refused

Caroline Meek, 29, who relies on a wheelchair, wanted the money to
build a car port at her home at Hedgehog House, Bickington. But
Teignbridge Council’s licensing and appeals committee decided the car
port wasn’t essential for her access to the property, and rejected
the appeal. Cllr Sandra Heath made the announcement after the
four-strong committee heard Mrs Meek’s evidence behind closed doors.

Mrs Meek suffers from herniation of the spinal cord.

She was diagnosed with the complaint only two weeks after she
married, five years ago.

And she is one of only five diagnosed cases in the western world. She
has undergone 14 operations on her spinal cord and skull.

The committee heard a medical team, including Mrs Meek’s
neurosurgeon, general practitioner and physiotherapist, supported the
grant application.

Her condition made her particularly vulnerable to the cold and wet,
they said in a report to the committee.

Steve Bamford, Teignbridge Council’s scientific housing officer said
the council had already carried out almost £6,000 of work at her
home.

The authority had smoothed the drive and improved the access to the
house, and provided a turning area.

That had been paid for by a mandatory disabled facility grant, which
is 60 per cent subsidised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister,
with the rest funded by Teignbridge.

Her application for the car port was made, at the council’s
insistence, under a discretionary facilities grant, which is wholly
funded by Teignbridge. But Mr Bamford told the committee the council
had no resources for the grant.

And he revealed £344,000 of the £358,000 total budget for mandatory
grants had already been earmarked.

He added: “We are only in the first part of the second quarter of the
year, and there is already substantial commitment to the mandatory
disabled facility grant.” He admitted the side of Mrs Meek’s house
was “open to the elements”.

But providing a car port would be equivalent to allocating four
stairlifts and three walk-in showers, so it was “a significant
element” he told the committee.

After the appeal Mrs Meek said: “I feel I have slipped through the
system at every stage of my disability.

“I have gone from being a healthy 24-year-old to being a disabled
29-year-old.

“I used to be proud of being British, growing up in our great
country, but since I have needed help in my situation, I have been
let down by every national sector except my neurosurgeon.

“I feel incredibly abandoned and I don’t know in which direction to
turn to obtain any physical or emotional help to improve my life and
those around me.

“The decision today is just the icing on the cake.” The trauma of Mrs
Meek’s condition came after an extremely active childhood and
adolescence. She represented Trinity School, Teignmouth at county
swimming and athletics before going to Bournemouth University.

She has been treated by “mind instructor” Hratch O’Gali, an
American-born Armenian, at his central London clinic.

He has helped her regain some feeling in her legs, walk up the stairs
on her own and even swim in her local pool.