Council leader accused of paying lip service after visiting residents furious at HMO plan

Neighbours in Suffolk Close in Langley Green, Oldbury, were surprised by an impromptu visit by council leader Rajbir Singh and Councillor Ellen Fenton, who both represent Bristnall on Saturday afternoon to speak to residents unhappy about plans to convert a house in their street to a five-bedroom home.

One resident, David Rowlands, said: “I received a phone call from the council leader at around 4:30pm on Saturday afternoon. I went around the cul-de-sac to let our neighbours know, and then half an hour later, he showed up to not just speak to me, as he originally planned, but all our neighbours who are concerned about the development.

“I was surprised to see the council leader and his fellow councillor arrive on our street on a weekend evening. I am doubtful, though, that the councillors will do something about it.”

Mr Rowlands said he believed the reason the council leader arrived was to pay “lip service” after Councillor David Fisher [who represents Charlemont with Grove Vale], and opposition leader, visited the cul-de-sac at 12pm.

He said: “To be honest with you, I think the council leader is paying lip service. He told us he could only get involved as a councillor, not council leader, which I didn’t quite understand at all.”

Georgina Neculau, also a resident of Suffolk Close, said she stood outside with neighbours to talk to the council leader.

She, alongside Mr Rowlands, both said Councillor Singh had asked the neighbours whether they would be interested to “compromise” on the issue.

She said: “When I spoke to the council leader, he made a very interesting remark, asking whether we would be able to be persuaded to change the house plans from a five-bedroom home to a four-bedroom home.

“But that was after we’ve explained everything and all that we’ve been through and how opposed we are all to it.

“I just thought it was weird for him to ask, knowing that we are so against it again, to ask ‘would you be willing to compromise’, and I don’t know, that question didn’t sit right with me.”

Both residents claim that the council leader “acted strangely” when visiting the neighbours of Suffolk Close and appeared “in a rush to leave”.

Ms Neculau added: “I remember the council leader saying to us, ‘I wasn’t expecting quite so many of you to turn up’, and he kept saying, ‘I’ve got to go’.”

Mr Rowlands said he had raised objections, on behalf of all residents living at Suffolk Close, on Sandwell Council’s planning portal on October 1, citing over development of site, noise, and environmental concerns as reasons of concern.

Documents also show Mr Rowlands complaining about the conversion of the property in question at Suffolk Close as having a “detrimental effect” on the quality of life of the incumbent residents and the “potential to devalue” properties and damage community cohesion of Suffolk Close.

The application is from Mr Randhawa, of Brands Properties Ltd, based in Beeches Drive, Birmingham.

A council spokesperson said: “The council is aware of and fully appreciates the concerns being raised but is unable to take these into account given that the proposed HMO is a use permitted by existing legislation.

“The application for the certificate will be reviewed by the planning team in due course.

“This is not a planning application but an application for a lawful development certificate (on a matter of being lawful or not), so it is not for the planning committee to decide as it’s not a planning application.”