Council accused of offloading anti-social tenant

Roger Godsiff, MP for Birmingham, Hall Green, raised the case of one of his constituents who has been affected by the move in the House of Commons last week.

He claimed council housing officers ‘deliberately and wilfully conspired’ to hide the anti-social tenant’s previous housing record to allow a mutual exchange to take place that saw him move from a council property to one owned by Moseley and District housing association.

‘In essence, certain officers in the Birmingham’s housing department dumped this problem on the housing association by omitting to tell them the true facts, wrecking the life of a young woman in the process,’ he said.

Mr Godsiff was contacted by the woman, who lives in a neighbouring property, about the disruption caused by the tenant who had completed the move. He took the case to the council, but said the authority has failed to provide an adequate response.

In parliament the MP argued that Birmingham Council’s head of housing, Elaine Elkington, has failed to deal with the housing officers involved in the case, ‘and I believe she should go’.

Inside Housing understands Ms Elkington is already destined to leave the council next year as part of a management shake-up.

Responding to the debate Don Foster, under secretary of state at the Communities and Local Government department, said he could not comment on the details of the case, but that the government is taking more general action to combat anti-social behaviour.