Former councillor and MEP hits out at Dudley Council employees who 'act as a law unto themselves'

It comes as Bille Etheridge hit out at Dudley Council employees who he says have been 'ignoring' issues around drug use and anti social behaviour.

The former Sedgley councillor and UKIP MEP has been working with residents in Upper Gornal around damp and mould in council houses as well as incidents of anti social behaviour (ASB), and says housing managers have not been strong enough on the issue.

He claims in one instant, he was told 'times had changed' and they were no longer pursuing issues of drug use in council property.

Mr Etheridge said the major change of policy stated was not approved either by the council cabinet or discussed with West Midlands Police or the Police and Crime Commissioner's Office.

He also claimed Dudley Council's ASB team "wasted" 50 hours of surveillance on a property where there was alleged drug use and complaints of noise, only to later admit the form of surveillance used was not appropriate to monitor a complaint that was reliant on noise levels and smell.

In another instance, he said a potential child welfare issue was brought up three times with council officers before it was raised with children's services nearly a month later.

He has now accused officers of 'going rogue' against the wishes of elected members .

Mr Etheridge said: "It is clear council officers have gone rogue and are acting as a law unto themselves, this is tantamount to a coup against the authority of the elected council. 

"In my opinion many of the examples of the behaviour of council officers during these investigations are gross misconduct and there need to be dismissals. 

"It is no wonder our councils are all leaking money when the often highly paid staff behave in such a cavalier manner allowing their woke principles to override the elected members. 

"This country is suffering from institutionalised incompetence from its civil servants and we are seeing a very clear example of the damage this causes here in Dudley."

Patrick Harley, the leader of Dudley Council said they may need to bring changes in to adopt a zero tolerance policy for anti-social behaviour.

He said " Fires, loud music, noise nuisance and police being called out are to me very clear examples of anti-social behaviour. 

"I expect for this to be dealt with appropriately. 

"I feel on the occasions stated residents may have been let down and this just serves the point that as a council we must start to bring the change necessary to have a zero tolerance of this type of behaviour.”