Homes for elderly given to staff

Council staff moved into the Greyhound Opening complex

A council has begun an investigation after staff moved into low-rent accommodation following the eviction of elderly residents.

Norwich City Council has promised a "full and thorough investigation" by senior officers into the decision to let the properties to staff.

The sheltered housing development in Greyhound Opening and Goldsmith Street was earmarked for demolition last year.

But after the elderly residents moved out council staff were able to move in.

The Labour-run authority said it had attempted to "minimise the inevitable upset and upheaval" in asking "elderly tenants" to vacate the post-war sheltered housing development.

We had a nice little bungalow - it was everything you wanted Ida Hall, former resident

But it admitted council officials moved in after the residents had left.

Rupert Read, a Green Party city councillor, called for a "thorough and careful investigation" into the matter.

He said: "We in the Green Party are going to be calling strongly for a full investigation into what has happened to see whether or not correct procedures have been followed and whether or not what is happening is in accordance with council rules."

Ida Hall, 88, a former resident of the site, said: "We had a nice little bungalow.

"It was everything you wanted.

"We had to get out. They told us they were going to pull them down."

A council spokesman said the homes were no longer fit for purpose.

He said: "These units did not meet the aspirations and expectations of our sheltered housing tenants and were becoming increasingly difficult to let.

"The decision to decommission them meant they could only be used for short-term housing.

"The process of finding new homes for residents of Greyhound Opening/Goldsmith Street was made in consultation with the tenants.

"An experienced resettlement officer was appointed with responsibility for finding new homes for the elderly tenants to minimise the inevitable upset and upheaval."

The spokesman added: "A full and thorough investigation is now being carried out by senior officers into the process by which the subsequent decision was taken to let these properties to staff and how these were allocated."