THE former deputy leader of Sandwell Council bullied a senior council officer over the sale of undervalued land to a family friend’s company.

An explosive report for Sandwell Council found Oldbury Councillor Mahboob Hussain repeatedly breached the authority’s code of conduct.

The Wragge Report, which is due to be published tomorrow (Thursday) at 5pm, also shows cllr Hussain allegedly demanded parking tickets issued to his family be quashed and bullied a top council officer.

A leaked 79-page report by James Goudie QC which upholds the majority of Wragge’s findings has been obtained by the News.

These include that Cllr Hussain ignored a valuation of toilet blocks of £130,000 and went ahead and let them be sold for £35,000 to a family friend’s business.

The report, which was commissioned by the then council leader, the late Darren Cooper, when police began investigating land deals in October 2014, will also show there was bullying of officers and several breaches of the member’s code of conduct by Cllr Hussain.

The QC said: “The discrepancy in the price for the toilet blocks (the valuation report was almost four times more than the price paid) was to such a high degree that, even if the valuation report was excessive, the sale should not have gone ahead.

“The evidence suggests that Cllr Hussain was involved in the detail of the proposed sale of the toilet blocks to a degree which crossed the line between political oversight and day-to-day management of the property services function to a significant degree.”

However, the report concludes there is no evidence Mr Hussain obtained any advantage for himself or would have acted differently if the other parties in the deal had not been known to him.

The Goudie report also highlights the sale of a coroner’s office and another building by Sandwell Council to Cllr Hussain’s son and council employee Azeem Hafeez.

It says: “On balance it seems likely to be the result of confidential information being shared by Cllr Hussain.

“This is a breach of the member’s code.”

Cllr Hussain ensured a parking ticket for his wife was cancelled and one for his son reduced amid a culture of councillors trying to do the same.

The QC concludes Cllr Hussain did contacted directly the officer concerned and sought the cancellation of parking tickets issued to his close relatives and reduction of parking penalties imposed upon them.

He added: “It is no excuse with respect to the parking tickets that some other councillors may have done the same.”

There is also criticism of former head of Sandwell Council properties David Willetts.

The QC said: “The report’s findings include evidence that David Willetts allowed himself to be bullied and coerced by Cllr Hussain over a long period of time.

“His most gross and obvious (but by no means only) dereliction of duty was in relation to the former toilet blocks.”

The report even raises the prospect of Mr Willetts being pursued for the money lost on the public toilets deal.

“His most gross and obvious (but by no means only) dereliction of duty was in relation to the former toilet blocks.”
The report even raises the prospect of Mr Willetts being pursued for the money lost on the public toilets deal.
The QC was strident in his view that the Wragge Report should be published as soon as possible.
He said: “The report should be put into the public domain. Transparency and openness require it. It is necessary for the council to demonstrate the seriousness and thoroughness with which it has approached these matters. 
“I do not regard it as tenable or sustainable not to publish.”

ln a tumultuous week at Sandwell Council has seen legal challenges about publishing the Wragge Report, stormy cabinet meetings and high level meetings about the future direction of the council. The explosive report by

James Goudie QC, who reviewed the entire seven folder Wragge Report, details how Oldbury Councillor and former deputy leader Mahboob Hussain broke the rules on councillors’ behaviour.

Mr Goudie QC agreed with the Wragge Report that Cllr Hussain should be hauled in front of the standards committee because of his conduct.

The report also describes former regeneration cabinet member Cllr Ian Jones as “reckless” and a “passive by-stander” to the sale of undervalued land but found he should not be sent before the standards committee.


On Tuesday Labour Party suspended Cllr Hussain - again. The move came after a dossier, compiled by Sandwell Labour party members, was sent to Labour’s general secretary Iain McNicol.

On Monday national party representatives interviewed several Sandwell members at Terry Duffy House in West Bromwich.

A Labour spokesman said: “Councillor Mahboob Hussain has been suspended from the Labour Party.”

Cllr Hussain’s suspension was overturned earlier this month after the police confirmed he had no case to answer for concerning the land deals.

In an email to all 72 councillors Sandwell Council assistant chief executive said: “Following further legal discussions with the QC the decision has been taken to publish the reports on the council website at 5pm on Thursday.” 

A senior councillor, who did not want to be named, said: “I’ve never seen anything like what has happened this week before, it is as if the whole place is in meltdown.”

The Sandwell Labour group is due to elect its leader on Friday, the candidates include acting leader Cllr Steve Eling, Cllr Ian Jones, who was previously suspended and whose conduct is also investigated in the Wragge Report, and Cllr Yvonne Davies.