A FORMER Sandwell Council deputy chief has been barred from speaking directly to officers and ordered to undergo training for abusing his position as a councillor.

Members on the ethical standards sub-committee today (March 23) imposed sanctions on Councillor Mahboob Hussain having already been found to have breached the authority’s code of conduct following allegations of improper behaviour at a hearing in January.

He had been found to have broken rules regarding his involvement in the sales of council-owned toilet blocks and the reduction and cancellation of parking tickets handed to his family members.

Officers also said he had pressured them into pushing through the sale of the toilets.

Councillor Hussain had made an 11th hour bid to force an adjournment to the hearing via his solicitors, who argued he had not received the decision notice and minutes of the January hearing to be able to challenge the originally verdict adequately.

But the application – which was received less than an hour before today’s hearing - was rejected at today’s meeting and the case was heard in Councillor Hussain’s absence.

Council barrister James Cornwell said that Councillor Hussain had abused his position as councillor and shown disregard for the members’ code and the authority’s standards process.

He added that he had caused financial loss to the council and had caused damage to its reputation.

His sanctions include having to undergo training for property transactions, as well as his role as a councillor and his understanding of the code.

A system will also be put in place to regulate his contact with officers and all communications will be done via email through relevant directors of service. Councillor Hussain is also barred from being appointed to cabinet.

Councillor Hussain didn’t attend the January meeting due to ill health but has always denied any wrongdoing and refuted the Wragge report accusations.

During January’s three-day hearing, council officers claimed that in 2012 Cllr Hussain “pushed the sale through” of three public toilet blocks for £35,000 to the uncle of five of his grandchildren, despite the land – which was set to go to a public auction the following month – being independently valued at £130,000.

It was also alleged that he “used his influence” as a councillor to reduce the fine of one parking ticket issued to his son and cancel two others issued to his wife and another one of his sons.