Mahboob Hussain: Former Sandwell Council deputy sanctioned for abuse of role

Councillor Mahboob Hussain must attend lessons on property transactions as part of a series of sanctions decided by the council's ethical standards committee this afternoon.

In January, at a meeting that Mr Hussain did not attend due to illness, the panel found that he had failed to comply with authority rules.

This was in relation to the sale of council-owned toilet blocks and by quashing parking tickets for family members.

Today's meeting also took place in the absence of Mr Hussain, who unsuccessfully sought a last ditch adjournment.

The Oldbury councillor, who is currently suspended by the Labour party, argued that he had not received the minutes of January's meeting and that there had been a delay in providing him with the decision notice.

The panel threw out his claim, which was submitted via email less than an hour before the start of the hearing.

Announcing the committee's decision, council legal officer James Cornwell said Mr Hussain had been involved in a 'substantial course of misconduct' spanning from 2011-2014.

He said he had shown 'serious disregard' for the members code, had abused his position as a councillor, and had failed to cooperate with the standards process.

Mr Hussain was ordered to attend training, which will include lessons in property transactions and his role as a councillor.

He was also barred from making direct contact with officers and cannot be appointed to the cabinet for four years.

Independent board member Ray Tomkinson said that Mr Hussain did 'not appear to have the interests of the good governance of Sandwell Council at heart'.

"He has apparently displayed no understanding that a breach has occurred," he added.

Mr Hussain's involvement in the sale of public toilets was said to be at the 'most severe' end of the spectrum, while the parking tickets issue was classed as 'severe'.

Mr Tomkinson added that the councillor's legal disputes over the findings, which were outlined in the Wragge report in 2016, had 'directly caused cost to the public purse'.

Mr Hussain, who has always denied any wrongdoing, is considering launching a legal challenge over the decision.