Shameless housing boss sacked after outrage over death of boy, 2, living in mould-ridden flat
SHAMELESS housing boss Gareth Swarbrick was sacked yesterday after outcry at the death of a boy of two living in a mould-ridden flat.
Mr Swarbrick refused to quit as CEO of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) despite national fury.
His bosses initially backed £185,000-a-year Mr Swarbrick after an inquest found Awaab Ishak’s home was “unfit for humans”.
But the housing association’s board said yesterday its stance was “no longer tenable”.
It added: “We are deeply sorry for the death of Awaab.
“His death needs to be a wake-up call for everyone in housing, social care and health.”
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Awaab’s family said the axing was overdue.
In a statement read at a vigil outside the RBH HQ, their lawyer said: “The fact that RBH’s chief executive had to be sacked as opposed to resign, for the family, speaks volumes.
“They find it wholly unacceptable that the board expressed confidence in him in the first place. The family still feels that much more needs to be done.”
He said that the family felt Awaab’s death “must not be in vain” and they did not want another family to endure the “devastation” they had.
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A Government source welcomed the decision to sack Mr Swarbrick for his “profound failings as RBH CEO”.
They said: “Their board still have very serious questions to answer.
“Why did they give him their full backing after the coroner’s report and as recently as 24 hours ago?
“And why have they failed to answer basic questions about the state of their housing stock?”
The inquest into Awaab’s December 2020 death heard that his parents first reported the mould to housing bosses in 2017.
They repeatedly sought help to no avail.
Awaab’s dad, Faisal Abdullah, said they felt “absolutely trapped” when he was rushed to hospital with breathing problems. He could not be saved.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove slammed RBH over the scandal.
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He is writing to councils and housing associations to demand action on any damp and mould homes may have.
He said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe in their homes. The death of a child like Awaab Ishak must never be allowed to happen again.”