Sandwell Council: No police action over land sales

Sandwell Council said it would co-operate with the police investigation when it began in October 2014

A police probe into the sale of a West Midlands council's former properties has ended with no further action to be taken, it has emerged.

Labour-run Sandwell Council said it would co-operate with the police when their work began in October 2014.

Former deputy leader Mahboob Hussain and former economy chief councillor, Ian Jones, stood down from the ruling cabinet after the investigation began.

A separate internal investigation is ongoing, said the council.

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Mr Jones said he had been told he would not be allowed to run in local elections this year on a Labour ticket because he remained in "administrative suspension" from the party as he had voluntarily stood down to await the police and council's findings.

He said: "I've been left in limbo because of a witch-hunt. My reputation of 25 years as a Walsall Council officer and 18 years as a Sandwell councillor has been threatened by malicious allegations.

"It's been a nightmare for myself and for my family and friends but I would like to thank them for supporting me throughout."

He said he was taking legal advice over the council investigation.

The former HM Coroner's office in Crocketts Lane, Smethwick, appeared for auction in December 2013

Mr Hussain said he was "pleased" the investigation was over.

Insp Jonathan Jones, of West Midlands Police, said the probe had followed "serious allegations... suggesting irregularities regarding the sale of former Sandwell Council properties between June 2012 and September 2014".

He said after a "thorough" investigation there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

Sandwell Council chief executive Jan Britton said the authority "co-operated fully throughout" and was satisfied no further police action would be taken.

The former HM Coroner's office in Smethwick, West Midlands, was put up for sale in December 2012.

'Neutral act'

The council's asset land and disposal committee, which was formerly chaired by Mr Hussain, approved council officers' recommendations to sell the office.

It was bought in May 2013 by Azeem Hafeez - according to the Land Registry, Mr Hussain's son - for £80,000. In December 2013 it appeared for auction for £120,000.

Although there was no suggestion Mr Hussain knew his son would bid for the property, when the committee authorised the sale, or that either Mr Hussain or Mr Hafeez behaved improperly with regard to the sale, the difference in value of the office building at the time led to calls for an investigation into whether the council obtained best value on the sale to Mr Hafeez.

Mr Hafeez was arrested in April 2015 but has already been told he would face no action and previously said he was considering taking legal action.

In October 2014, Oldbury ward councillor Mr Hussain stood down as chairman of the committee. Mr Jones was also on that committee but stood down in February 2015.

At the time, the council said Mr Hussain's resignation was a neutral act that did not imply any wrongdoing.

The council first agreed to sell the site after a kitchen fire in October 2012 that made it unusable and the Coroner's Service moved to alternative accommodation.

In a personal statement issued in 2014, Mr Hussain said: "I fully expect the audit service's investigation to clearly show I have followed all the proper rules and procedures."