Mahboob Hussain's Caring Nature!

Sandwell Labour's Deputy Leader has been getting a bad press lately and so it is incumbent upon me to detail his solicitous side.

Mrs Irene Hale passed away this year. She has been described to me as "staunch Labour". She lived at 2 Judge Close, Oldbury - a Sandwell Council house - for donkey's years but latterly lived alone with happy memories of her late Husband and with pride in bringing up her lovely family.

In 2012 Mahboob Hussain came a'canvassing and spent a long time talking to Mrs Hale. He asked her whether she would not be happier moving to a smaller property. No, said Mrs H, she was very happy where she was thank you!

In 2013 at election time Hussain re-appeared. Wouldn't she be happier in a flat he wondered and did she know she could get financial help if she wanted to move? Mrs Hale, already terminally-ill, told him the only way she was leaving was "in a box". Later she reported this conversation to someone else with the words, "I'm sure he's after my house you know."

This year Mrs Hale died and folk were considerably surprised when Labour's Deputy Leader turned up at the funeral but that's Mahboob for you - a really caring sort of a guy.....

Not long afterwards various "improvements" were undertaken at the property - presumably at the taxpayers' expense - and a family moved in......

(Note - there are matters arising from recent occupancy of this property which I have referred to Sandwell Police. No doubt this is also a matter for Sandwell Council's non-independent "investigation" to look into).

Whilst on the subject of property there is a very curious tale about the Leader of the Council's home extension. A few years ago, Darren Cooper had a two-storey extension and garage built at his house in Londonderry Lane. He was quite properly referred to in the planning application papers of 2003 although they were formally submitted in his partner's name. Now the curious thing here is that he has put it about that he borrowed the money for this from "source A" but now refuses to answer questions about this. No doubt he is merely trying to protect his privacy and there is nothing untoward. One has to assume that what he has told people was, for reasons unknown, incorrect. How odd!

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