WESTMINSTER councillors could face criminal proceedings after a report showed homeless families were put at risk when they were moved into blocks of flats riddled with asbestos dust.
The community housing group now running the estate last night made a formal complaint to police asking them to investigate the case.
Today's report which was ordered by the city council after publicity over the asbestos said leading Tories consistently showed a lack of proper care for tenants housed in two blocks. The report concluded that decisions to move homeless people into the blocks were "influenced by considerations of party advantaged"
The report added "This review will make very disturbing reading for anyone concerned about the observance of proper standards in the provision of public standards." It continued "Despite the availability of the clearest advice and instructions to the contrary, those acting on behalf of a public body repeatedly took risks, for a variety of reasons, with the health of people who ought to have been entitled to assume that such risks were not being taken."
The 200,000 word report on the conditions of the Elgin and Chantry blocks in Paddington said danger warnings were ignored or played down by the Conservative group's leaders as they attempted to prevent the party losing seats by ensuring likely Labour voters were housed in Labour wards.
The then leader of the council, Dame Shirley Porter and Mr Barry Legg, her chief whip, who is now MP for Milton Keynes South West, took over from officials to approve the rehousing.
Last night, Mr Jonathan Rosenberg of Walterton and Elgin Community Homes Ltd a housing trust which now runs the estate where the since demolished blocks stood said "Clearly there must be some charge against the Tory councillors. I have contacted the police at Harrow Road and asked them to open an investigation."
Labour MPs and councillors also demanded an investigation with a view to criminal charges.
The Shadow Environment Secretary, Mr Frank Dobson, said "What might be contrary to the criminal law would be to knowingly expose someone to a health risk. That is why we feel the police should investigate this matter."
Last night Dame Shirley Porter issued a statement through her solicitors saying "Anyone who reads the report will see that this report has utterly disproved the wild and monstrous allegation made by the Labour Party that homeless people were deliberately put at risk."
The report by Mr John Barratt, former chief executive of Cambridgeshire County Council, said families were deliberately rehoused despite councillors knowing both blocks were riddled with brown asbestos.
It said the decision to rehouse the homeless there was taken without the housing committee being consulted.
Tenants moved into the blocks had no information about asbestos apart from vague notices not to nail anything to the walls. Dangerous dust blew into flats through the hot air heating system and also landed in communal areas.
A telephone hot line for former tenants has opened.
. Westminster Council is currently awaiting the results of another inquiry carried out by the district auditor, Mr John Magill into a homes for votes scandal in which Tories allegedly tried to gain advantage in the 1990 municipal elections by moving homeless people from Conservative marginal wards to Labour strongholds.