A trouble-hit organisation responsible for running all the homes in Wolverhampton’s Heath Town estate is being wound up, the Express & Star can today reveal.
The Heath Town Estate Management Board is going into liquidation after just two residents voted for it to continue running, despite 1,160 homes being invited to vote. The group, which was set up more than 10 years ago, has been in chaos for the past few months after a surge in resignations from the board, including the chairman and chief executive.
It had a budget of £1.8 million a year and was funded by the city council to provide services and maintain the homes, but failed to submit a detailed performance analysis to the council last summer after a row between the authority and the board.
The board said it did not supply details on rent collections, repairs and arrears because council officers failed to give proper advice on how to present it.
Former chairman Marcus Dingwall and interim chief executive Sue Flint resigned last summer, and Wolverhampton Homes had to step in to look after the properties.
Three different chief executives have left the board in the last three years, including Dasvinder Singh who was suspended for two years for unknown reasons.
The change in management, which is set to be approved by Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet on Wednesday, has been described as a “long overdue” decision by council bosses.
Councillor Milkinder Jaspal, who represents Heath Town, said: “I think it’s the right move and I welcome it but it should have been done two years ago and I’m very disappointed it has taken so long.
“When you recognise there is a problem you need to deal with it quickly and effectively, and in this case we didn’t do that. It mushroomed into a major crisis.”
In a report due to go to the cabinet next week, officer Kerry Bolister said: “It is difficult to determine whether the lack of response is down to apathy or whether the service provider on the estate is no longer relevant.”
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