The latest allegations of misconduct over the sale of Sandwell Council owned land have been dismissed due to ‘insufficient evidence’.

A report to the authority’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee revealed officers had investigated if the disposal of property on Plant Street in Old Hill, and Farley House and Langley Hall had been in breach of the councillors’ code of conduct.

But Peter Farrow, Audit Services and Risk Management Manager, warned the committee: “There are also a number of other audit reviews and investigations under way.

Sandwell Council House
Sandwell Council House

"Once completed, the outcomes of these investigations will also be reported back to the committee where appropriate.”

The findings are the latest in a series of investigations which have plagued the council and cumulated in the former deputy leader of the authority, Mahboob Hussain, being sanctioned early this year.

Mr Hussain later stepped down as a councillor and has always denied any wrongdoing.

Concerns over the sales came to light following a council commissioned report into a string of historical allegations.

The land on Plant Street was initially planned to be leased to a neighbouring mosque and primary school as a car park.

After the intervention of the then Cllr Hussain, it was decided to sell the land outright for £6,500 to three trustees of the mosque in November 2013.

The valuation was made for car parking use only with no consideration for other possibilities, despite planning officers advising the site was suitable for residential development which would have brought in a higher capital receipt.

Concerns were also raised over the sale of Farley House and Langley Hall but investigations found that ultimately they had been sold for £190,000 under a sealed offer process to obtain the best price.

Investigation council officers concluded: "Following due consideration a decision based on the evidence available was arrived at, that there was insufficient evidence to amount to any breach of the Members' Code of Conduct."

Cllr Liam Preece, committee chairman, accepting the report said: “It is disappointing that on a number of similar cases over the years it's the same carousel of names going round and round.

“All I can express is the contentment that a former councillor is no longer a serving one.”