Executives from housing repair contractor Morrison suffered a humiliating appearance at this week’s housing scrutiny committee.

The company is a national leader in the property services industry with repair contracts for dozens of local authorities, housing associations and private firms.

So it is hugely embarrassing that Morrison is severely under-performing on its contract to keep gas central heating boilers running in 23,000 Birmingham council houses.

With just over 70 per cent of boilers fixed within seven days against the 100 per cent target the executives were forced to offer humble apologies and outline their improvement plan.

It was recognised by all present that to lose the Birmingham contract in second year of a five-year deal would do untold damage to the firm’s reputation. This is the industry which lost a major player in Connaught last year.

Scrutiny committees are often written off as talking shops, which they frequently are, but this time members bared their teeth and went for the jugular.