It was a sad day for democracy at the Brent Council AGM yesterday when not one of the 56 Labour councillors questioned the constitutional changes that will see the level of scrutiny in the Council reduced and limitations on questioning of Cabinet members by backbenchers and the opposition.
At the same time the opposition was weakened by a split in the Conservatives which saw them form an Official Group of three councillors and the 'Brondesbury Park Group' of three.
Cllr John Warren (Brondesbury Park Conservative) opposed the constitutional changes urging Labour backbenchers to 'look at your rights and how they are being lost' pointing to reduced scrutiny, restrictions on questions, removal of 'Key issues' debates, removal of rights to requisition meetings and the guillotine on Council meetings reducing them by 30 minutes.
Dr Helen Carr, (Liberal Democrat, Mapesbury) in her first intervention as a lone Liberal Democrat, said that she did not doubt Muhammed Butt's integrity, but had concerns about the constitutional changes and potential corruption. She appeared to nod in agreement when he reassured her that all was well and all councillors adhered to the highest of standards.
Butt's defence of the changes appeared to be based on their election mandate: 'The people of Brent have spoken'. He argued that the changes would increase participation pointing to the new right of individuals and community organisations to address meetings of the Council. He said that headteachers and doctors would be involved in the new Scrutiny Committee but failed to make a case for the reduction in the overall number of scrutiny committees and restrictions on questions.
All the Labour councillors voted for the changes, Brondesbury Park Conservatives voted against, and the Official Conservatives abstained.
54 comments:
We will just have to wait and see who from the community might be appointed to scrutinize those decisions from the TOP.
Have doubts about and community appointment if their voice alone is not strong enough.
We already see 50% Cons siding with Labour bringing 59 votes to 4.
Hardly think community has spoken with such low turnouts.Only means Labour were able mobilise enough people to bother to vote.
Councillor Moher does not appear to be a saint, given recent revelations
What a load of Twaddle, from Leader sprouting on about Councillors adhereing to highest standards.
With such a weak and shambolic opposition, it's vital that backbench Labour councillors step up to the plate in terms of scrutinising recommendations from the "cabinet" and holding them to account. Failing to stand up for their own powers was a very poor start.
Full steam ahead as the Brent Council locomotive does not wait for boarding passengers !
Passengers left at station, while the drivers sit and snigger.
Brents way of getting things done and to hell with the passengers !
They can board another train in 4 years.
Nothing like committing hari kari. Seems backbenchers' bowing to exec, and senior officers, rather than representing constituents. Were they spoken to beforehand, whipped quietly so the voters wouldn't hear? Another four years...
Of course they were whipped, they always have been at every full council debate and I can't think of one of them, past or present, who has ever voted againt Ann John or Butt. I know many who have disagreed, but they won't say so. And that includes current cabinet members.
The backbenchers need do nothing for the next four years. Many of them won't.
So Carol Shaw has defected from the platform she was elected on. Again. What is it now, the third time she has done this?
Obviously Cllr Tom Miller wanted to vote against this restriction of democracy but when it came to it he found his arm glued to his side so it just wasn't practicable.
Backbenchers whipped to agree reduction in scrutiny before voting on same. Beyond irony. Nauseating. How will the Labour luvvie/s/cllr posting on WM thread (Monday, 2 June 2014 'Robust local press in Brent more important than ever') justify that without 'hid[ing] behind the electoral system' s/he/they accused others of doing. Here's that sneering comment again: 'Poor response and yet typical of people who know they are backing minority positions - hide behind the electoral system'.
Time to invoke Cicero: 'O tempora o mores' - 'Oh what times, oh what customs'? Oh, what lese-majeste!
Cllr Miller's Twitter bio: 'Charity fundraiser. Labour Cllr for Willesden Green, GMB partisan, leftist & realist. For transformative politics, effective campaigns, obscure punk bands'. 'Realist'...? H'm.
I think it may be that Cllr Ms Shaw (her insistence on that title says much!) has now defected for the FOURTH time. There was apparently some odd breakaway group involving Labour years ago. I have recommended stab vests to her fellow Brondesbury councillors.
I can't speak for Tom Miller, I don't know him. But I am rapidly forming an opinion on him and some of the SPAD intake. I do wonder what their residents will make of the dialectic and jargon when they actually start talking at them.
Councillors represent the people, or are supposed to do so. A reduction in the powers of councillors is a direct attack on the people.
The questions therefore are: who is attacking us; and why why are our representatives not standing up to the attackers on our behalf?
Asked via Twitter to comment on Anonymous above, 14.09, Cllr Miller has this to say: 'I don't remotely understand the comment or its relevance I'm afraid, and rarely read Martin's blog anyway'. Oh dear. So young, so short a short memory. Direction Westminster?
To be fair to him and all the Labour group, in the absence of a spine it's not that easy to get the message from the brain to travel down to the relevant limb.
I managed to watch some of the first hour of the Full Council meeting through "live streaming" on my laptop, although it was not very satisfactory. Sometimes the screen would go black, with the message: 'Subscription failed: BrentCouncil@136956' (had the Council not paid its bill on time?), and there were massive changes in volume between different speakers.
I did manage to follow item 7, the proposed changes to Brent's Constitution, and was very disappointed with the lack of any real debate. I wonder how many of the Councillors, especially newly-elected ones, were wondering 'what is the point of me being here?' If they are not willing, or able, to put forward reasoned arguments as to why some of the changes may not be a good thing, or at least stand up and say why they believe the changes will be an improvement (if they do believe that), it certainly makes me wonder 'what is the point of them being there?'.
As well as telling Cllr. Warren that 'the people of Brent have spoken about who they want to govern', I heard Cllr. Butt say that 'democracy is alive in Brent', and that 'we are listening to residents - their voice will be heard'. I hope that will be the case - we will have to see.
Philip Grant.
LOL! Oh what lese-majeste indeed - here's Cllr Tom on Twitter today: 'I don't remotely understand the comment [at 14.09, above] or its relevance I'm afraid, and rarely read Martin's blog anyway'.
Despite claiming to rarely read this blog Cllr Tom Miller was very quick to comment on it last year that he had absolutely no knowledge of the dodgy McBride email scandal that led to the downfall of Derek Draper, despite working for Draper at the time (google it).
http://wembleymatters.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/labours-council-candidates-for-2014.html
He was also very speedy to point out some typos in the blogpost last week which reported his "more democracy wherever practicable" comment.
Odd behaviour for someone who rarely reads it isn't it?
I think its safe to assume that this blog is widely read by all Brent councillors, all senior officers, all political organisers in the borough and a good many more besides.
Not sure about all this lese-majeste. To lese it, there has to be some majeste there in the first place, doesn't there? I'd say more like faux insouciance. Who's he trying to kid? No Brent politician (or vanity-queen) is going to miss a regular scan of WM to see if they're trending.
Cllr Tom - @TomMillerUK · on 28 May:
'Not going in for Council positions - this year at the least. Building relationships with local residents to be my paramount concern' -
as stepping-stones on the road to Westminster, no doubt. Wish his ward-residents could read that.
Lol, Miller has deleted "leftist & realist" from his twitter bio. #youcouldn'tmakeitup
Contrary to what you might believe Alison, ordinary people are actually capable of thinking about and discussing concepts and ideas. Not everyone restricts their sole political focus to "parking, pavements and poo"
That was quick! Who's telling porkies when he says he doesn't read WM. Can confirm the 'leftist & realist' has now disappeared. Reckon Cllr Tom will be a regular WM reader from now on, Martin.
If you really want a giggle take a look at the Councillors' official mugshots now up on the Brent website
http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1
I LOVE Wembley Matters - laughing tears at the moment! Doubt new-kid-on-the-block Tom is going to miss a scan of WM from now on. Well-done everyone.
Thx. Ribs aching now from laughing tears.
Was it Cllr Miller or one of yesterday's sneering Labour luvvies reacting on high to Alison Hopkins above? Someone's narked. Wonder what these folk would make of the recent (secret) Lab/Lib suppers re possible coalition after 2015? I'm with Hopkins - dialectic and jargon are usually substitutes for clear thinking, real ideas.
Just did. Thanks...
I see hardly any of them have proper addresses or phone numbers.
The Planning Committee make up is worrisome in the extreme.
Freaky doesn't even begin to describe it
Councillor Carr has decided to put up every qualification she has ever undertaken aside from her GCSEs on the council web site. "Dr BA (Hons); M Phil (Oxon); Cert TEFL; Dip; DPil" http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=8860
Councillor Collier has also put all his qualifications aside from his GCSEs on the page.
"MBA, DMS, BA (Hons)" http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=8874
With the increased focus on Tower Hamlets he must be worrying if he misused his MBA getting into bed with Shahidul Miah considering his close connections with the mayor of tower hamlets.
Old Kensal Rise library now being pushed through and scheduled to be considered by Committee on 17/06/2014
Be interesting to see if community members are invited to form part of the committee
According to Alison Hopkins, Helen Carr is very, very clever for wearing a yellow scarf to the first council meeting. I mean, what genius!
Where can list of new planning committee members be found, Alison? Might be useful to post on here. Thx.
Miller does bear more than a physical resemblance to Gareth from The Office, doesn't he?
Which way Councillor Dan Filson jumps, given he is on planning committee and was very vocal prior to election ?
Given Brent constitution changes it could be argued Councillor Filson should abstain from the vote as it could be deemed bias given his public support prior to securing his seat ?
This would be another issue for secretary state to consider if Councillor Filson votes in favour.
Martin it would be worth doing new blog on Kensal Rise and check the community temperature.
The issues are still around and Kensal rise will be a good test in terms of scrutiny etc
It doesn't look good for transport policy, not one of these councillors is listing a pass in the Cycling Proficiency Test, even Councillor Carr (and she's included her Blue Peter badge).
Let's hope the new planning committee members vote to defer the hearing of Andrew Gillick's latest change-of-use application for the library building (14/0846) pending the outcome of the ongoing police investigation.
Regarding Dan Filson's membership of the committee - prior to his election when he was an ordinary member of the public, Mr Filson made an assertion about the state of the police investigation, one which he's failed to substantiate. Was the then-Mr Filson tipped off, and if so by whom, or was he making things up? These are important questions. Further, the now-Cllr Filson has publicly declared (on a previous WM blog) that he's against deferral of the planning application. I agree - in light of the council's constitutional changes, surely the councillor should abstain from the forthcoming hearing?
Here you go: http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=115
The issue for me is the lack of planning knowledge amongst the new members and the fact that Ketan Sheth got dumped. He was an excellent and very knowledgable chair. Lia and Shafique do have decent experience in fighting Brent Cross, but that's around a difference scope of planning law from that normally covered. Lia's also submitted a big domestic application herself I think.
To me, what it means is that the committee will be even more in the hands of officers and won't go against recommendations from reports.
On the qualification thing: the officers get very insistent on it. I was quite tempted to add my Cycling Proficiency and 25 yard swimming certificate.
Seconded, Anonymous at 09.28, above.
Filson will not be allowed to vote at the planning committee having previously declared support and submitted supporting comments. I'm not clear though whether he'll be allowed to speak or whether he'll have to absent himself from the discussion entirely. If he is allowed to speak I'd prepare for a long meeting...
Well-done, Martin, who's already posted a new blog on the Kensal Rise Library issue - 'Kensal Rise Library application a baptism of fire for the new planning committee', link below. Delighted to see he'll only publish named comments. That's as it should be.
http://wembleymatters.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/kensal-rise-library-application-baptism.html
Anon 11.31 above - are you certain about this? Filson should certainly not be allowed to vote, and as Anon 11.51 below says, he has questions to answer about the police investigation.
Says Anonymous
Looks like we have scrutiny by Blog for the next 4 years.
Bring it on ! It seems to encourage debate, despite our leaders generally not acting.
I'm 100% sure that planning committee members are strictly forbidden from expressing a view before the committee meeting about a planning application they will be voting on. I'm sure Filson is aware of this and won't try to vote but if he does it should be challenged.
Perhaps if he does vote member disciplinary action would be appropriate
Let's not forget that it was Barnet bloggers who did for the late unlamented Brian Coleman. And probably some of the ex Tory councillors, too.
Maybe you should start a blog Alison, now you have so much time on your hands. It would save you clogging up the pages here.
What has Lia's own domestic planning application got to do with anything? Alison you know perfectly well that she would not be allowed to play any part in approving it so why should it disqualify her from sitting on the planning committee? I'm no friend of Brent Labour Party but your self-righteous innuendo and nasty smears are one reason why you got the boot.
Lia Colacicco a member of many different moral groups. I imagine that over time siding with the Labour executive will grate as much as it clearly does for Tom Miller. Tom sees this as a stepping stone to being a MP so needs to do something to stand out, whilst Lia is someone who appears to have always stood for things. Lets see both stand up & be counted before we become Tower Hamlets. I can see Neil Nerva joining them in rebellion.
So potential rebels are Lia Colacicco, Tom Miller and Neil Nerva. Anyone else?
From his tweets I doubt Miller will rebel: he seems dedicated to the collective unconscience. If he wants to be a PPC in a winnable seat he certainly won't rebel. don't know Nerva well enough to comment.
Lia is principled, honest and decent and a good friend. As I said, she and Shafique are the only ones with any kind of experience. Her application was approved two years ago, by the way, and cited to show she's got some knowledge of process.
From what many of us on all sides saw up to and including the 22nd May we are already Tower Hamlets.
Thanks, 'faux insouciance' commentator above, for correcting me re Miller/lese majeste. The wannabe PPC - using local elections as a route to Westminster -doesn't, on his public showing so far, appear to have a principled bone in his body. Having removed 'socialist and realist' from his Twitter profile a couple of hours after his Twitter bio was revealed here on WM, wonder if he's dumped his socialism along with his realism aka 'democracy whenever practicable'? (comments above, 5 June 19.59-21.41)?
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