A councillor on the Isle of Wight’s new housing committee was previously hit with warning notices over the state of a flat she rented out.
Reform UK councillor Caroline Gladwin serves on the adult social care, public health and housing needs committee and was previously issued with 3 warning notices, it has emerged.
The Central Rural ward member is facing criticism from Independent Socialist councillor Geoff Brodie over the issue. Councillor Gladwin blames a previous tenant for damaging the property without her knowledge.
The Isle of Wight Council served Councillor Gladwin the notices in early 2023 under the Housing Act regarding her letting of a two-bedroom flat in Shanklin.
The warnings related to damp and mould, rotting timbers, exposed wiring and the front door having no working lock.
Councillor Brodie said:
“Nearly one in five of all Island households are forced to live in the private, rented sector due to our desperate shortage of social rented housing and the unaffordability of home ownership for so many.
“A sector with excessive rent exploitation, poor living conditions and continuing insecurity of tenure, despite the promises of successive governments.”
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He added anyone reading a report into the issues “will be horrified” over the “unpleasant conditions”. But Cllr Gladwin said she “always kept her properties in good shape” and “acted with integrity”. Hitting back at Cllr Brodie, she said his comments were “clearly politically motivated”.
She added:
“Unfortunately, this is an example of an overzealous council that made my life a misery over matters I was unaware of due to damage being caused by a tenant who was severely mentally ill and was very difficult for me to deal with.
“Shortly after the notices were issued the tenant was rehoused and no tenant ever moved in again as I was too distraught after the treatment given to me by the council’s housing renewal officers.
“In fact, I have never wanted to seek any more tenants to this day after this treatment, and I consider that I am the victim in all of this.”
It’s understood that Cllr Gladwin currently rents out another property.
Leader of the Conservative group Cllr Ed Blake said:
“The adult social care committee is responsible for making decisions that have a direct impact on some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
“Committee members need to make decisions with high of levels insight and compassion and, as a group, we trust the Monitoring Officer to be across all information available to them regarding competency within roles.”
Other members of the adult social care, public health and housing needs committee did not respond to individual requests for comment.
Councillors are required to register their interests with the council, and these are publicly available to view on the council website. However, in the section asking ‘Do you have land or property within the Isle of Wight’ the reply states Sensitive Interest’ and Cllr Gladwin has been exempted from answering further by permission of the deputy monitoring officer.
Notices in detail
The council issued 3 notices against Councillor Caroline Gladwin.
A hazard awareness notice (HAN) referred to ‘category 2 hazards’ relating to ‘damp and mould growth’, ‘food safety’, ‘personal hygiene sanitation and drainage’, according to a tribunal decision file, which is publicly available.
It says that ‘hazard ‘is defined ‘as ‘any risk of harm to the health or safety of an actual or potential occupier of a dwelling which arises from a deficiency in the dwelling (whether the deficiency arises as a result of the construction of any building, an absence of maintenance or repair, or otherwise)’.
County Hall’s emergency remedial action notice (ERAN) related to a category one hazard in relation to ‘difficulties in keeping a dwelling secure against unauthorised entry and the maintenance of defensible space’.
It said the ‘front door to the flat has no working lock and the lower door panel is missing and covered by a ‘for sale sign’.
The improvement notice mentioned both category one and category two hazards.
Its category one hazard was ‘excess cold’ due to deficiencies such as ‘defective and rotten timbers’ and ‘considerable masonry cracks in hall’.
The category two hazards related to ‘damaged’ external entrance steps with a ‘slippery surface’ and ‘defective guttering’ leaking onto outside steps.
They also included ‘electrical hazards’ such as a ‘broken electrical socket’ and ‘exposed wiring’ in the flat’s lounge, and those relating to ‘fire’ including there being no fire blanket in the kitchen and a broken light switch.
Following a September 2023 appeal by Cllr Gladwin against the council notices, a tribunal upheld the HAN and ERAN.
It also confirmed the improvement notice subject to wording changes relating to the 2004 Act, single glazed windows, a fire door and the timescale of remedial action
Oh, how typical of a Reform politician.
Take financial advantage of a mentally ill person, wheedle her way to being voted nto a position of power over similar people, & then when called out on it, claim to be the victim!
You don’t know the full facts. Are the liebour party or tories any better, no.
What are the full facts then??
>> It’s understood that Cllr Gladwin currently rents out another property. (so she lies as well…??)
at least Labour & the CONservatives haven’t openly stated that if they get into power, they will scrap the NHS & go over to an american style ‘insurance’ based health system… (so only the Rich, can afford decent heath care)
Deform Have !!
This is not about the Labour Party or the Conservative Party, it’s about Reform. Trying to muddy the water to spread the blame is the usual Reform trick.
landlord is the victim… oh poor me taking rent from the mentally ill, it’s so hard for me… typical reform nonsense. can’t believe anyone thinks you can trust these people to run a position like this let alone as prime minister
Nearly one in five of all Island households are forced to live in the private, rented sector
no, some are actively choosing to rent as it suites their needs and social housing is meant for the disabled, elderly and single parents..not freeloading benefit spongers
Total b*ll*cks from start to finish
Typical Reformer, cares only about themself.
Slum landlord/lady. Usual Reform position, only in it for their own gain, esp if the person they are ripping off is vulnerable. Will she follow the national trend for Reform councillors and resign?
Same as usual yet another let’s have a Go at reform report from a political adversery