Fury over state of council home
Boarded up windows, live wires hanging from the roof and piles of rubbish and broken glass in the garden – this was the scene which greeted mother-of-two Stephanie Lewnes when she was handed the keys to her new council home.
The house in Hillside Road, Dudley, has been branded "disgraceful" by furious policicians who say they are appalled the property had been allocated to a young family.
Miss Lewnes said it was "unthinkable" that she would let her seven-year-old son Cameron and five-month-old daughter Lilly, stay in a house in such a bad state of disrepair. "I was shocked, upset and angry when I first saw the house," she said.
"They expected me to move in with my children on the day they gave me the keys, which I wasn't prepared to do. There were piles of rubbish in the garden, dirty nappies and dog mess. It was just disgusting," the 28-year-old supply chain manager added.
She said live wires were left dangling from the roof at the back of the house.
Miss Lewnes said the inside of the house was "relatively acceptable" although the windows sills were falling off and there were damp patches downstairs.
Dudley North MP Ian Austin, who has visited the house with Miss Lewnes, has slammed Dudley Council over its condition.
He said: "Anyone who moved into this house would have to spend time and money hiring a skip, clearing the land and making the property secure. I cannot believe that Dudley Council is happy for people to live in these conditions."
Ward councillor Alan Finch said: "This property is a disgrace. I will work along- side Ian Austin and local residents such as Stephanie to make sure we find houses like this, get them fixed up, cleaned and occupied.
Dudley Council's cabinet member for housing Councillor David Simms was unavailable for comment today.
