Online Discussion - Can council officers ignore housing board rules?
Local Birmingham residents are holding an online discussion about the suspension of a housing board Chair and whether the Board’s own rules were followed. The discussion will look at how these decisions should be made and who should be involved. Have your say.
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Ladywood Unite raises concerns over suspension of independent housing group chair
Ladywood Unite is calling on Birmingham City Council to follow its own rules after Council officers suspended the Chair of the Ladywood Local Housing Involvement Board (LLHIB) without using the disciplinary process in the Board’s Constitution.
Sign the petition: https://form.jotform.com/262343008879362
The LLHIB exists in part to help address serious problems affecting Council tenants and leaseholders, including housing disrepair like leaks, mould, damp, floods, and fires. It is vital that people who raise these problems and challenge poor practice are able to do so without fear of being punished for speaking up.
The Constitution sets out what should happen when complaints are made. This includes sharing the evidence, giving the person a chance to respond, and involving the Board in decisions about suspension. Ladywood Unite understands that these steps have not been followed.
This comes alongside other concerns about resident voice in Ladywood. The Council has also now removed the independent advice for the Ladywood Resident and Community Steering Group, in breach of the terms of reference, without any return date announced.
There is also a real human cost. The LLHIB Chair has given many hours of unpaid time to helping tenants and leaseholders, raising housing problems and challenging poor practice. Being suspended without the protection of the agreed process can cause serious distress and also harms democratic resident involvement.
A Ladywood Unite spokesperson said:
People should not be punished for speaking up for residents. Policies and constitutions exist for the difficult moments, not just the easy ones. Council officers should not be able to set aside procedures designed to protect fairness and independent resident involvement. There is also a person at the centre of this who has given an enormous amount of unpaid time to helping other residents. The human consequences should not be forgotten.
A Ladywood Local Housing Involvement Board member said:
The Chair has been an effective and dedicated Chair of Ladywood Housing Involvement Board, giving much time and effort to championing the concerns of users of Birmingham City Council Housing. I hope that the issues around the suspension will be quickly resolved and the Chair able to resume their position.
Ladywood Unite is asking the Council to explain why the LLHIB Constitution was not followed and to make sure its own rules and procedures are respected.