Three suspended from council's housing company (From Your Local Guardian)

Three suspended from council's housing company

8:00am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in News By Rachel Blundy

Three people employed by the council’s main housing management company have been suspended.

It is understood one of the three employees has since returned to work at Lambeth Living but two others have left the arm’s-length management organisation (Almo).

The council would not confirm the suspensions or discuss the reasons for them, saying they were strictly confidential.

In a statement, it said: “Individual staffing matters are confidential so it would be inappropriate to comment.”

The Almo has been blighted by accusations of bad customer care, void repairs and problems with leasehold management since it took over responsibility for Lambeth’s housing stock.

Last year, former chairwoman Asuman Ozkan was convicted of fraudulently claiming almost £90,000 in income support, housing and council tax benefits to buy a council flat.

She received a 30-week suspended prison sentence for benefit fraud following an investigation.

Shortly afterwards, current chairman and former Streatham MP Keith Hill was forced to defend the Almo, insisting it had turned a corner and was improving its service to tenants.

Opposition councillors put forward a motion of ‘no confidence’ in the company during the same year, but councillors voted to keep it.