A CARETAKER who devoted 25 years to a London Colney school is facing homelessness after being told he must leave his on-site house.
Instead of celebrating his retirement last Friday, Mr George Leach faces the prospect of moving into temporary accommodation before the start of the new term.
When he started working at London Colney JMI School in Alexander Road back in 1975, Mr Leach was told that after two years of service he would automatically qualify to be rehoused in the area.
But on his retirement, Mr Leach and his 63-year-old wife, Barbara, were told by housing officers at St Albans District Council that they would have to go into temporary accommodation until alternative housing could be found.
The elderly couple, who both have serious medical conditions, now face living in temporary homes before they will be provided with a place of their own.
He said: 'I've spent half my working life at this school and done many jobs that went beyond my duties as a caretaker.
'To find myself in this situation now is just too much.'
Mr Leach suffered a stroke eight years ago and now fears what the future holds for himself and his wife, who suffers from agoraphobia.
He said: 'If anything was to happen to me she will be left a complete prisoner in an area where she knows no one.'
Mr Leach is a familiar face in London Colney - after 25 years, most of the children who were pupils at the school when he started there are now the parents of the current pupils.
Former headteacher Peter Gregory is appalled at the situation facing someone he describes as 'a wonderful caretaker'.
Mr Gregory said: 'It is appalling that someone who has given 25 years of loyal service to the school can find themselves without a house in the village.
'During his time at the school he must have saved the county council thousands of pounds in repair work.'
London Colney councillor Dreda Gordon said: 'The view of local councillors is that the council should be doing more to help Mr Leach with his accommodation, in view of his long service.
'They knew he would be retiring, so they should have got plans under way as to what would happen, rather than leaving things to the eleventh hour.'
St Albans MP Kerry Pollard has taken up the case.
He said: 'I have been trying to get him into permanent accommodation, rather than making him and his wife move out.
'I have written to the senior housing officer, and am very positive that the problem will be resolved before the August 30 deadline.'
A district council spokesman said: 'We are actively looking to rehouse Mr Leach, he is absolutely top of our list.
'We are doing everything we can so he doesn't have to go into temporary accommodation and he will be moved as soon as a suitable property comes up.'
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