DUDLEY politicians have slammed Dudley Council over the state of the houses it has recently offered to young families on the Wrens Nest estate.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin and Castle and Priory ward councillor Alan Finch were contacted by a young mother who had recently been offered a property on Hillside Road, which they described as “disgraceful”.

Following a visit to the boarded up house, the MP said he was “utterly appalled” by what he saw.

The home, which Stephanie Lewnes was offered for herself and her two young children, had piles of rubble and rubbish strewn across the paths and garden and live wires hanging out of the walls.

The back of the property was also not secured, with people able to easily gain access to the rear garden, where grass had been set on fire and broken bottles littered the area.

Ste phanie said: “I could not believe the state of this property and that the council actually gave me the keys to this house.

“I have two young children and it is unthinkable that I would let them stay in a house that is in such bad disrepair.”

Mr Austin said: “I am outraged at the state of the houses Dudley Council deems fit for young families.

“I cannot believe the council is happy for people to live in these conditions and has let this property get to this state of disrepair.

“I am also utterly appalled that the council has left this property to fall apart and that neighbouring homes have had to suffer the antisocial behaviour and litter it has caused.”

But Councillor David Simms, cabinet member for housing, said it was council policy for people to be shown potential homes while repair work was being carried out and that the house would have been cleared before a tenant moved in.

He said: “The so-called ‘live’ cables were in fact a single redundant cable which was not live and will be removed and the rubbish was there as a result of fly tipping and has also been removed.”

Mr Simms added: “The council is simply trying to give potential tenants the opportunity to say yes to a property with the knowledge that the council will then guarantee that major jobs will be done prior to the handover of keys.

“This is to shorten the time that a property will remain empty.

“The problem for the council is how to ensure the property is secured during the time between council workers finishing their jobs and keys being handed over to the new tenant.”