Nicola Richards has called on Sandwell Council to pause a soil stack replacement programme being undertaken on a number of its high-rise apartment buildings.
In a letter to the Council’s leader, Cllr Kerrie Carmichael, Ms Richards advises she has been contacted by a number of residents reporting a lack of consultation and accountability over the scheme, as well as concerns that the Council is attempting a botch job.
A soil stack is the vertical pipe which removes wastewater from a building – characterised by an occasional sound from the flow of water as wastewater flows downwards from an upper drain. In tower blocks the stack is concealed within a riser column, so residents are not subject to constant noise disturbance.
Residents report that the new soil stacks are being placed through their bathrooms, taking up valuable space, rather than replacing the old stacks, which are concealed within the building.
Ms Richards said: “I have serious concerns about the consultation process with residents by Council staff and contractors who are undertaking and managing this work. In cases I have seen, I have noticed very little meaningful information is being given to residents in what the work will entail and that confusing or contradictory information is being given to residents.
“While any effort to maintain and improve the Council’s housing stock should be welcome, it should be led by residents. I am afraid that from what I have seen, this replacement programme has made no effort to give residents any meaningful say in what will happen to their homes.
“I would welcome this programme being paused, while the serious concerns residents have raised are investigated, and that the Council’s relationship with the contractors for this project are reviewed,” she said.
