Another Labour Land Sale to Mahboob Hussain's Son!

Following on from my recent post describing how Sandwell Labour have sold 14 building plots to Deputy Leader Mahboob Hussain's son for just £10,357 each, an informant contacted me about the old Coroner's Office on Crockett Lane, Smethwick. I imagine you can guess what is coming next......

Dead Give Away?

Once again, the sleazy "socialists" have hidden most of the details via the usual veil of secrecy. A "report" concerning the proposed sale was prepared for the Asset Management and Land Disposal Committee (AMLD) meeting on 19th December, 2012. As ever with the crafty comrades the agenda kept most of the information secret with two items relating to the proposed sale marked as "private" and one item allegedly "public" - but with the crucial detail also redacted (ie hidden) - see below.

The so-called "public" item was prepared by four Sandwell Council officers and old friends - Neeraj Sharma (now on £128,138 per annum); Stuart Kellas (£132,512 per annum); Melanie Dudley (£120,092 per annum) and, importantly here, the "Area Director - Regeneration and Economy" Nick Bubalo (who has to scrape by on just £108,614 per annum).

You will have noted from my previous blogs that Labour in Sandwell seem to have difficulty when it comes to obtaining property valuations for land sales but it appears they got round that "problem" here by the simple expedient of doing without one and allowing Nick Bubalo to simply "estimate" the value. Thus we get this in the allegedly public part of the report:

"The Director - Regeneration and Economy estimates the freehold value of the property to be (net of sale costs) xxxxxxx."

And so here we go again. The vital information is kept secret. There is no indication whatsoever of how Sharma, Kellas, Dudley and Bubalo came to this concealed figure. There is no evidence in the public domain that this evidence was independently verified in any way. Remember, there is a statutory (ie LEGAL) obligation on the Council to secure "best value" when selling public assets.

Once again it is a recurring theme in this blog that such is the iron grip of Labour in the People's Republic of Sandwell all matters are agreed secretly before meetings which then last just a matter of minutes. There was a heavy agenda on 19th December, 2012 but only two Committee members bothered to turn up - "powerful" Chair Mahboob Hussain and "Cabinet" Member Simon "Two-Houses" Hackett. Happily they were able to deal with the whole agenda in seven minutes flat!

As with the Lodge Street/Stone Street scandal, Sharma and Bubalo were then given the job of sorting out the sale "for the best price":

Resolved:- 

(1) that the Coroners office building at Crocketts Lane, 

Smethwick be declared surplus to Council requirements;

(2) that, subject to the resolution (1) above, the Director - 

Legal and Governance be authorised to dispose of the 

freehold interest in the property for the best price by the 

most suitable method of disposal and otherwise on 

terms and conditions to be agreed by the Area Director - 

Regeneration and Economy; 

(3) that the Director - Legal and Governance Services be 

authorised to enter into or execute under seal, if 

necessary, any other related documentation in 

connection with the disposal of the land referred to in 

resolution (2) above on terms to be agreed by the Area 

Director - Regeneration and Economy.

Hussain himself duly announced to Sandwell Labour's own version of Pravda - the arse-lickers at The Express and Star: "The Coroner's Office will now be sold and marketed to be sold off."

Fortunately, this all concluded with Labour selling the freehold to, er, Azeem Hafeez, one of Cllr Hussain's sons, for £80,000. No mortgage was required. Sharma's department transferred the land to him on 10th May, 2013. Interestingly, he has registered the property at HM Land Registry as "Futures House" and regular readers will note how the word "Futures" cropped up frequently in "Bog-gate".

Incidentally, I have it on good authority that there was at least one other very serious contender for this property and I hope they will contact me in due course (contact details below).

Hafeez rapidly put the property into an auction due to take place in December, 2013 with a guide price of, er, £120,000 but, for reasons unknown, withdrew it before the sale (see link below*). The building is in use and perhaps it is the new hub for his burgeoning property empire whose growth is being so ably assisted by Sandwell Labour.

I have put in a Freedom of Information Act request about all this which is set out in full below the subscription.

Yes with the Sandwell Labour Five Star taxi monies rolling in, "Oldbury Green" [sic] being built and now this, happy days are indeed here again for the Hussain family - all in the "open market", of course!

* http://www.cpbigwood.com/property/auction/details/id/6225/search/1


THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

e   thesandwellskidder@gmail.com                                   t   @bcrover (Vernon Grant)

Confidential phone no: 07599 983737

Freedom of Information Request:

Sent: 05/10/2014 13:36:52

Subject: Freedom of Information Act Request - Sale of Old Coroner's Office

On 19th December, 2012 three agenda items were listed at item 9 of the
Asset management and Land Disposal Committee relating to the proposed sale
of the old Coroner's Office at Crocketts Lane, Smethwick. The Committee
then resolved to sell that property and on 10th May, 2013 transferred it to
the Committee Chair's son, Azeem Hafeez, for £80,000. It may or may not be
the case that Hafeez was also an employee of SMBC at all material times.

Please state:

1. Was Azeem Hafeez employed by SMBC as at 19th December, 2012;

2. Was Azeem Hafeez employed by SMBC as at 10th May, 2013;

3. Two agenda items on 19/12/12 were redacted - 9 and 9a. Please disclose
unredacted versions;

4. The other agenda item 9 in respect of this matter stated at paragraph
3.1 "The Director - Regeneration and Economy estimates the freehold value
of the property to be (net of sale costs) xxxxxxx." :

(a) state the amount of the redacted estimate;
(b) disclose the data, statistics and other documentation upon which the
estimate was made;

5. Notwithstanding the "estimate" referred to at (4) above state whether
any other sort of valuation of the property was done before or after the
sale. If so, disclose the valuation(s), the date(s) of same and the actual
report(s). If fees were paid for any report(s) please state the amount(s)
broken down to fees, disbursements and VAT;

6. Please state in detail the marketing campaign for this property;

7. Please state the name of the Council Officer who ultimately agreed the
£80,000 sale price.

End.