A PENSIONER living in sheltered accommodation is livid after claiming council bosses promised residents a common room a year ago, but who now say they cannot afford it.

Norah Brooks, 79, from Coppice Farm Road, Tylers Green, said there are around 70 pensioners in her area who would benefit from having a place to meet and chat.

More than 12 months ago the Bucks Free Press' sister paper, The Star, reported that the pensioners were in need of somewhere to meet and shortly afterwards Miss Brooks said Wycombe District Council was going to provide a common room.

Miss Brooks said: "I have been told by the warden they are not giving us a common room. We were told a year ago we were going to have it. Now suddenly this morning we are told you are not going to have it.

"There is nothing up here to do after dark. Other sets of sheltered accommodation have got a common room. We have nothing. It would be nice for everyone to be able to meet."

Cllr Peter Cartwright (Con, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm) chairman of the housing and economic development committee, said: "We never promised. We said we would investigate it. What we did ask the architects to do was to draw up a costing to convert existing bungalows to a common room. To lose a nice bungalow and also spend £30,000 plus, isn't good value for money.

"We acknowledge there is no meeting place on that complex although there are others on complexes nearby. What we are asking the architects to do is to look for another option."

Cllr Cartwright added that the district council is only receiving £88,000 to provide additional affordable housing for the next year and that a tenants' group had agreed the common room would not be good value.