Debate on social housing to be held due to 'potential systemic failings' at Birmingham City Council

A debate will be held by councillors in Birmingham next week on social housing in the city, with councillors set to discuss 'potential systemic failings' in how the body is addressing the concerns of residents.

In notes submitted ahead of the debate, Conservative councillors Ken Wood and Adrian Delaney argued that, over the past five years, there had been 15,000 cases of mould and damp referred to the council.

They also cited a number of stories that have emerged about "tenants living in squalid or unsafe conditions, including people being hospitalised due to damp."

On Wednesday ITV News Central reported on the case of one family in the Druids Heath area of the city, where a child was reportedly admitted to intensive care following an asthma attack.

His mother claimed that doctors told her his situation was worsened by exposure to damp and mould in their flat.

Finishing their comments, the councillors said they had "no confidence in the Executive’s management of the repair and maintenance of the Council’s housing stock and believes that the current Administration have let tenants in this city down and failed in their legal and moral duties as landlord."

The move to discuss social housing comes after the housing secretary, Michael Gove, criticised social housing in Birmingham as 'disgraceful.'

He added that "these landlords have failed their tenants, letting people suffer in disgraceful conditions while refusing to listen to complaints or treat them with respect."

Birmingham City Council rejected his comments, saying the cases he had referred to were 'historic' and had been 'resolved.'

"As one of the largest social landlords in the country with 60,000 properties, Birmingham City Council takes its duty to provide all its tenants with suitable accommodation very seriously."