Darlaston property tycoon is 'turning town into a dump'
Furious residents have launched a petition against a Darlaston property tycoon they say is filling the town with 'the very worst kinds of people'.
Self-styled king of the bedsits Jim Haliburton has been accused of filling his J9 Accommodation properties in Darlaston with drug addicts, alcoholics and jailbirds, leading to numerous incidents of anti-social behaviour in streets around the town.
On Saturday almost 100 demonstrators gathered outside the firm's headquarters in Pinfold Street to protest against J9's letting policy.
Mr Haliburton has around 140 properties in the Black Country.
Now the organisers have launched a petition with the backing of Darlaston South Councillor Doug James, who has offered to mediate between the two parties.
Organiser Ryan Pressdee said: "We had about 100 people at the protest but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Plenty of people have been in contact offering their support and the petition is a way for us to show Mr Haliburton the strength of feeling against what he is doing to the area.
"We want to see J9 doing CRB checks on everyone who goes through the doors. At the moment we don't think this is happening.
"We won't stop until he takes action to stop Darlaston being turned into a dump."
Mr Pressdee said that plans are in motion for another demonstration to take place in the coming weeks.
Councillor James said he wants to sit down with both parties involved in the dispute in a bid to thrash out an agreement.
He said: "I don't believe that Darlaston is a town full of druggies and drunks. The vast majority of people here enjoy a good quality of life but there is clearly a growing strength of feeling about some of the issues around the town at the moment.
"Tensions are already running high as a result of the illegal traveller incursion into George Rose Park. The issues with residents of J9 properties is something that people also feel strongly about.
"My responsibility is to bring the two parties together to firm up what the problems are and look at how we can respond in a positive way."
Mr Haliburton has insisted that he aims to take in 'good tenants, not bad ones'.
The petition will be launched at 6pm today at the Darlaston Conservative Club in Little Cross Street.
