Words by Ed King / Pics from Erdington Local archives
An official investigation has found Kingstanding’s Labour Councillor Des Hughes earned over £6000 whilst working for the Council’s criticised SENDIASS service – in what he claims was intended to be “in a voluntary capacity for a few weeks”.
SENDIASS is a Council run statutory service that supports young people with special educational needs and disabilities, which was found to be “85% non-compliant” in a 2022 review conducted by the National Children’s Bureau (NBC).
A report presented to the Council’s Standards Committee earlier this month, by public law barrister Matt Lewin, identifies the payments were made to Mr Hughes despite him having officially resigned from SENDIASS on the run up to Council elections in 2022.
It further identifies failings by Cllr Hughes to declare his roles as trustee on two local charities, Kingstanding Regeneration Trust (KRT) and SHIME@NechellsPOD – with the latter cited in the report as receiving over £120,000 from SENDIASS for office space rentals from 2020 to 2022, as discovered in a separate review of the service by KPMG.
The report continues to state that “no procurement process had been followed” over the rental agreements and highlights the Council’s exiting portfolio of available office space. It adds, “there were no signed contracts in existence” between the charity and the Council.
The investigation also addressed and held true allegations that Cllr Hughes used his access to HR management software to extend the contact of 21 agency workers at SENDIASS, whilst holding the elected position of Kingstanding Ward councillor.
It also found that Cllr Hughes “failed to disclose his continuing interests at SENDIASS” whilst attending Council meetings, with a focus on his position on the Education, Children and Young People Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
First employed by SENDIASS in April 2019, Des Hughes held the paid position of Parent Partnership Support Officer, working at least in part out of office space at the Nechells POD community hub.
Mr Hughes was not an elected Council member when first recruited by SENDIASS.
After being selected as Labour’s candidate for the Kingstanding Ward in March 2022, Mr Hughes followed official protocol and resigned his city officer role at SENDIASS – allowing him to campaign and, if elected, sit as a Kingstanding councillor without a conflict of interests.
However, findings from Mr Lewin’s investigation show Mr Hughes continued to work for SENDIASS until “at least” the end of August 2022, with invoices issued to his home address showing he received a further £6,189.96 from the service – referenced as ‘SALERY OVERPAYMENT RECOVERY Late Leaver’.
Whilst Cllr Hughes did not deny his continuing work with SENDIASS, both during his local elections campaign and subsequent role as Kingstanding Ward councillor, he told the investigation he was only intending to support a “good bunch of people” in a voluntary capacity and felt that “just running… and leaving them with” his cases to “share out and hand over just seemed a bit inconsiderate in the circumstances.”
When further questioned about the £6,189.96 he received after his official resignation, Cllr Hughes claimed he had not seen the invoices before.
He added: “…this might sound flippant, but if there’s money in the account when I go to the cashpoint, I tend not to investigate further.”
Addressing the rental payments made by SENDIASS to SHINE@NechellePOD, the Lewin report states “there is nothing in the evidence… that suggests any direct involvement in this agreement” by Cllr Hughes – but confirms rental payments to the charity are first seen on their accounts in 2020/21 after Mr Hughes’ appointment.
Des Hughes was a Labour councillor for the Kingstanding Ward from May 2010 to May 2014, and again from May 2015 to May 2018.
In March 2022, Mr Hughes was again selected as a Labour’s candidates for Kingstanding in the 2022 Council elections – alongside running mate Naziah Rasheed. He was elected on 5 May 2022 with 1350 votes, this highest of any candidate, and represents the ward alongside Conservative Councillor Rick Payne.
Complaints were made reportedly against Cllr Hughes last year, with the Kingstanding councillor formally notified of the allegations in August 2023 and an investigation beginning in September that year.
Following the allegations, Birmingham Labour party told Erdington Local they had placed Cllr Hughes under “administrative suspension”.
Only recently made public, following a Standards Sub-Committee meeting on 22 March, the investigation report presented to the Council prompted their decision that “Cllr Hughes had breached the Code of Conduct” for elected officials – citing seven individual cases, including points where Cllr Hughes brought “his role and the Council into disrepute”.
The Committee’s recommendations included stripping Cllr Hughes of his role of trustee at the Barry Jackson Trust and as the Council’s representative on the Board of the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
The Committee’s ‘Decision Notice’ further recommended Cllr Hughes makes an official apology to Council, and that “all reasonable steps to recover the outstanding overpayment of salary.”
Erdington Local has contacted both Cllr Des Hughes and Birmingham Labour for further comment.
For more on Cllr Des Hughes visit: www.birmingham.gov.uk/councillors/165/des_hughes
For more on Birmingham SENDIASS visit: www.birminghamsendiass.co.uk