REDDITCH Conservatives are calling for the resignation of the man responsible for the borough’s housing portfolio, Councillor Mark Shurmer.
The move comes in the wake of the failure by the authority to complete gas safety checks on more than 900 council homes back in 2015.
These should be carried out annually.
A lengthy internal and external investigation called for by borough Tories concluded last year with new safeguards being put in place.
Now a notice of motion is being brought to the full council meeting on Monday (January 30) calling for a vote of no confidence in Coun Shurmer (Labour, Lodge Park) and demanding his resignation.
“This Labour administration has once more proved incompetent and demonstrated its complacent attitude to its council housing responsibilities,” said Coun Brandon Clayton (Con, Aswood Bank & Feckenham), deputy leader of Redditch Conservatives and their spokesman on housing.
“Yet again we have another clear example of the Labour Group’s manifest incompetence that could have put in jeopardy the lives of our residents.
“When I held the portfolio for Housing I had weekly meetings with officers to ensure I was fully briefed. It would appear that Coun Shurmer does not have a clear understanding of his responsibilities.”
The failure led to an investigation by the government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
In seconding the motion Coun David Thain (Con, Crabbs Cross) said: “What adds insult to injury is the investigations undertaken by both the HCA and HSE will be paid for from
our residents’ rents. The very people who we are meant to serve have not only been put at risk but are now picking up the tab for the incompetence of the Labour portfolio holder.”
An investigation by the HCA, which had been alerted by the council itself, concluded back in November 2015 that the authority had failed to meet its Home standard with the potential for “serious detriment to Redditch borough council’s tenants”.
The HCA said an internal audit carried out by the council had found: “That the issue arose due to inadequate contract management, failures in recording and incomplete records and contractor failure.”
The HCA noted that the council was undertaking a review of arrangements for contractors and methods of reporting but said the breach by the authority had: “exposed a number of tenants to the potential of serious harm for lengthy periods.”
As a result council was put on notice by the HCA which was removed in November 2016 after it had received assurances that the borough had addressed the issues.
The leader of Redditch borough council, Coun Bill Hartnett (Lab, Church Hill): “When we found out about the gas safety checks we self-reported the situation and the authorities carried out an investigation.
“They then wrote a report with recommendations and we agreed to all those recommendations.”
