Consultancy firm appointment questioned

Rochdale Online has discovered that HQN, a housing consultancy firm hired by Rochdale Borough Council to help with its Strategic Review of Homelessness in the borough, has employed someone who was herself at the heart of a housing scandal in Norwich in 2008. The story made national headlines at the time.

Suzanne McBride, a former strategic director with Norwich City Council, who now works for HQN, was involved in a controversial decision which resulted in twenty five elderly people being moved out of their sheltered-housing, known as Greyhound Opening, after being told it was to be demolished. The homes were then let out to 18 council officials.

Ms McBride told the BBC at the time that she stood by her decision to allow council staff to live in former sheltered homes. She was the line manager for Head of Housing Kris Reeves, who was later dismissed following a disciplinary hearing after moving into Greyhound Opening with her partner, who also worked for the council.

Ms McBride was made redundant by the council the year before the scandal came to light. She said she has no regrets over allowing staff in and claimed that a senior Labour councillor was involved in that decision. This was denied by the councillor concerned.

"With hindsight I should have taken the decision formally to elected members so there would be a clear audit trail of the discussion," she said.

At the time, Norwich had almost 8000 people on its waiting list. Three other senior staff were allowed to live at the complex after taking jobs at the council, but this was authorised under a relocation policy.

A year after the scandal broke, the houses at Greyhound Opening were finally demolished and 100 new homes were planned to be built on the site but we understand that this remains to be done and is the subject of local concern.

Rochdale Online asked Ms McBride: "Bearing in mind your experiences with the Greyhound Opening sheltered-housing project in Norwich, do you believe that it causes any conflict with your present role on the Strategic Review of Homelessness in Rochdale?"

Ms McBride answered: "No, I don't think so. I believe that I feel quite comfortable with all my experience in housing services over the past 20 years." 

Commenting, Councillor Dale Mulgrew told Rochdale Online: “Given the ongoing cuts and council redundancies, it is surprising why the Council cannot use its own resources to conduct an internal policy review, thus saving jobs.'

“However, if they have to use outside consultants, you would think for such a sensitive area as homelessness they would have an outside 'expert' with a more compassionate track record.

“With local homeless services like Petrus currently hanging by a thread, the Leader of the council must now immediately review the Council's contract with this external body and see if the appropriate person is involved?

“Otherwise, the outcome of this homelessness review will only be viewed with suspicion.”

HQN was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

Rochdale has recently seen a 163 per cent increase in homelessness and has made massive cuts in its funding of emergency beds.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/72068/massive-increase-in-homeless

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/69677/mp-slams-policy-on-rochdales-homeless-at-last