Police have confirmed they have spoken to officials at Powys County Council over concerns about items going missing during council house clearances.

The police officers were told that some items were appearing for sale on eBay when they should have been emptied from the properties as part of so-called ‘void clearances’ and kept in storage.

‘Void clearances’ are carried out when a council tenant moves on from a property or dies and leaves items behind.

The properties are either cleared by staff employed by Powys council or Heart of Wales Property Services (HOWPS).

The items are kept in the council’s store depots and if there is no family to take the items home, after a while they can be given to other council tenants who need furniture.

A formal complaint was made to Dyfed-Powys Police about some items going missing and claims have been aired by councillors that some items have appeared for sale on internet auction site eBay.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Concerns have been brought to the attention of the police in respect of this issue.

“A meeting took place between Dyfed-Powys Police officers and members of Powys County Council staff.

“But no crime reports have been received, and no victims have come forward.

“A formal investigation has not been launched, but any further information received will be assessed and acted upon accordingly.”

Powys council's head of housing and community development, Nina Davies, said that no members of the staff had been formally interviewed by police, adding: “The former deputy chief executive asked [the] internal audit [department] to review the way the county council managed the clearance of empty houses, known as voids, after concerns were raised. “The review did not find any evidence of theft, fraud or misuse but did recommend improvements to the way the process is managed. The council is in the process of implementing those recommendations. “We have met with Dyfed Powys Police to discuss this matter and understand that they will not be launching a formal investigation at this time. “If the council is to receive further information then it will be assessed and acted upon accordingly.”

At a meeting of the audit committee on Thursday, May 9, when the issue of items going missing was first aired publicly, councillors were told that proper records were not being kept of items emptied from properties during void clearances.

Ian Halstead, assistant director of independent auditors SWAP, said such records were necessary so that staff were protected from allegations of stealing.

Mr Halstead said: “If there are any allegations of misuse and you don’t keep a record of where things are going you can’t defend yourself.

“So we have recommended certain controls to be put in place for that.”

He said: “We looked at the process and the costs.

“It was not particularly transparent or clear that they were covering all of their costs.

“They would take items from the properties and take them to a store to be used for other families, so it had great social value.

“But when they did that, they did not keep a list of what items were in there or where they went.

“It’s not a massive area, not much money involved.

“If there are any allegations of misuse and you don’t keep a record of where things are going you can’t defend yourself.

“So we have recommended certain controls to be put in place for that.”

Mr Halstead said there was confusion as to who did the work, PCC would commission HOWPS and it would be commissioned back to PCC.

He said that SWAP would check that the changes were being carried out.

Cllr Karen Laurie-Parry (Independent – Bronllys) said: “I’ve heard on the grapevine that deceased person’s property is being disposed of inappropriately.”

Mr Halstead replied: “When we were commissioned the audit was around the process which was on the back of a letter complaining about the service.

“There’s been no evidence provided to the authority of any cases where someone has had property that’s gone missing.

“So that’s where we stand at the moment, we asked but nobody has come forward.”

Mr Halstead explained the process of how clearances are done: “Next of kin, family and friends would be informed and after that the authority is in charge of that property.

“That process does not include selling it or disposing of it for personal gain.

“If no one comes forward it’s kept in storage for a time, but if there’s no paper trail we are unable to identify where items are.”

Audit committee chairman Cllr John Morris (Liberal Democrat – Crickhowell), said: “The easiest way would be to clear a house and burn everything or put it in a landfill.

“What Powys officers are doing is a service, storing it until housing rang up and said a young family needs a couch or a table.

“It’s just a paper trail that we looked at and that will improve.”