THE city’s busiest housing office was abruptly closed because council bosses were worried about the risk of a corporate manslaughter charge if a window fell out and killed a passer-by.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s then temporary head of housing Angela Smithers demanded her staff take immediate action to close the Oxford Street Housing Office last year because of the risk of legal proceedings, internal council emails obtained by The Argus reveal.

Councillors said they only learned that council officers had been discussing the closure of the office months before its doors shut after being told by The Argus.

The future of the council property could become clearer next month at a public meeting – almost a year after its sudden closure.

Housing committee members said they have been kept in the dark and were unaware of a report which reveals that the building could have been maintained and kept open until 2030 at a cost of £130,000 to taxpayers.

The office was the busiest of the city’s four housing offices with 190 visitors per day before its abrupt closure at the end of November after an “alarming verbal report” from health and safety officers that it presented an “immediate danger”.

Just a fortnight earlier, an elderly woman tripped on scaffolding that was holding the building’s windows in place and was taken to hospital.

Former housing committee chairman Bill Randall claimed in an email that the dangerous state of the building only came to light because he had asked officers to look at the office’s suitability as a temporary home for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Emails obtained by The Argus through a Freedom of Information request reveal that senior officers were considering closing the building at least a month before the serious health and safety risks were discovered.

Housing committee member Mary Mears said the opinions of elected members were never sought on the choices between closing the office within six months, maintaining it for three years or fully committing to its long-term use.

Coun Mears said: “I have continually asked for reports on the Oxford Street housing office since it was closed but nothing has been forthcoming.

“Members just don’t know what is going on, that is not how local government works.

“Officers are making decisions that aren’t coming anywhere near members, that’s not democracy, that’s not open, that’s not transparent.

“It was a really expensive property when the old council bought it but we were assured that it was an investment.

“But if this was such an important asset, why has it been treated so badly.

“You can see by the condition report that it has been left to go to rack and ruin.”