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New homes-for-staff inquiry to be held
Under fire City Hall chiefs could face fresh embarrassment after a local government watchdog announced an independent investigation into the Norwich housing scandal will finally be carried out. Norwich City Council has tried to draw a line under the month-long affair following the completion of its own inquiry and the sacking of the senior worker at the centre of the homes-for-staff row. Bosses have repeatedly refused to set up an external inquiry - although they have tried to compromise by bringing in an outsider to examine the way the internal investigation was carried out. But the Audit Commission, which aims to hold local authorities to account and improve their service, has now launched its own inquiry. The move was welcomed by the council's critics who hope it will shed light on many unanswered questions. However, they said it was disappointing the decision had been made by the Audit Commission - instead of by the council. The scandal erupted after it emerged that staff had been allowed to move into a former sheltered housing complex at Greyhound Opening. Documents released to the EDP under the Freedom of Information Act show 20 members of the public have so far complained to the council about the issue. Revealing the news to the EDP, an Audit Commission spokesman said: "I can confirm that we have been asked to look into the issues relating to Norwich city housing department to which you refer. However, the district auditor was already aware of the position and had asked to be kept informed of the outcomes of both the council's own inquiry and the inde-pendent review into this matter. "Additionally, Audit Commission inspectors are now beginning a pre-arranged inspection of the council's housing service which will take these developments into account." This announcement was made following the completion of a report into a similar scandal at Nottingham City Council. The scathing report followed an investigation in 2005 into the service provided by Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes (NCH). The probe found there were failings between 2003 and 2005 including council houses not being allocated to those most in need. On one occasion, staff allocated a property to a member of staff ahead of other, more needy, applicants and on another, a senior officer interven-ed to allocate a house to the partner of a housing service employee. In Norwich, Kristine Reeves, head of neighbourhood and strategic housing, was sacked for gross misconduct for allowing council staff to move into the former sheltered housing complex - and then moving herself in with her partner. Ms Reeves, who earned at least £52,000-a-year, had played a key role in the decision to move elderly ten-ants out of the Greyhound Opening and Goldsmith Street scheme before its demolition and redevelopment. Opposition councillors say it will be impossible to restore public confidence until the council has been held to account by an outside body. Questions remain over how a City Hall officer could change policy with-out the chief executive, council lead-er and other top officials knowing. Prospective Lib Dem parliament-ary candidate Simon Wright and prospective Conservative councillor Chloe Smith welcomed the decision for an Audit Commission inquiry. A council spokesman said: "We had already been keeping the Audit Commission informed about Greyhound Opening/Goldsmith Street and have provided copies of council's own investigation reports. The commission will also receive a copy of the independent review once it is published." http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category =News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=News&itemid=NOED18%20Jan% 202009%2016%3A46%3A42%3A357 |
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