I guess Brent's contribution to Democracy Week of an Question Time session with the panel consisting solely of Brent Labour Council's Cabinet members (the token Tory dropped out) is par for the course.
But the democratic deficit actually reaches into the Labour Group itself.
Cllr Keith Perrin, Cabinet member for the Environment resigned some weeks ago. One of his first jobs as lead was to defend the £40 Garden Tax against criticism from fellow Labour councillors. Some suggest this was a contributing factor in his resignation.
Rather than being replaced his role has been taken on by Council Leader Muhammed Butt - or has it?
Word has it that Butt does not want another election to choose Perrin's successor as the last election was too acrimonious with many councillors jostling for a Cabinet post.
Muhammed Butt is already on record as finding annual leadership elections irksome and now it appears even elections that don't involve him personally are too bothersome.
He has out-sourced the donkey work for now to a former member of the Executive, who knows rather more about regeneration than waste.
Meanwhile, lurking in the wings is Cllr John Duffy (Kilburn) who as former adviser on waste to Ken Livingstone when he was London Mayor, really is an expert on the subject.
However, he is not one of the Young Turks (or should it be Young Tiggers?) who form Butt's buttress against challenge. He is too independent and experienced to fit in with the group.
Meanwhile people are contacting me who have only just found out about the Garden Tax. This one won't go away.
To cap it all there are now rumours that an excuse will be found to not go ahead with the Council meeting due on November 17th.
But the democratic deficit actually reaches into the Labour Group itself.
Cllr Keith Perrin, Cabinet member for the Environment resigned some weeks ago. One of his first jobs as lead was to defend the £40 Garden Tax against criticism from fellow Labour councillors. Some suggest this was a contributing factor in his resignation.
Rather than being replaced his role has been taken on by Council Leader Muhammed Butt - or has it?
Word has it that Butt does not want another election to choose Perrin's successor as the last election was too acrimonious with many councillors jostling for a Cabinet post.
Muhammed Butt is already on record as finding annual leadership elections irksome and now it appears even elections that don't involve him personally are too bothersome.
He has out-sourced the donkey work for now to a former member of the Executive, who knows rather more about regeneration than waste.
Meanwhile, lurking in the wings is Cllr John Duffy (Kilburn) who as former adviser on waste to Ken Livingstone when he was London Mayor, really is an expert on the subject.
However, he is not one of the Young Turks (or should it be Young Tiggers?) who form Butt's buttress against challenge. He is too independent and experienced to fit in with the group.
Meanwhile people are contacting me who have only just found out about the Garden Tax. This one won't go away.
To cap it all there are now rumours that an excuse will be found to not go ahead with the Council meeting due on November 17th.
I hope Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs is following the Brent Question: more or less democracy.
ReplyDeleteThey've certainly had enough prompting from me (and no doubt others) to do so. Unfortunately I don't have all the details of the intricate relationships and dodgy(doggy?) accomodations to present it to them as a ready-made story (lazy buggers, these journalists). Perhaps someone else has.
DeleteCllr Butt's worried someone popular like Cllr John Duffy or Cllr Nerva given half a chance will take his position. If Cllr Mashari seizes her chance she would make a good deputy.
ReplyDeleteNone of these councillors are popular within the Labour group so can't see that happening, particularly Mashari, who is seen as a careerist Labour parrot with few personal qualities (that's really saying something if other councillors see her this way!)
DeleteSo here we see the parallels with officer appointments, namely putting your mates in post without going through the recognised selection process. Clearly Cllr Butt wishes to be an elected mayor, in which case he should come clean to the Brent electorate.
ReplyDeleteIf hubris is here, can nemesis be far behind?
ReplyDeleteThe more embarrassingly shameless Cllr Butt becomes, the less time we have to wait for his inevitable shamed exit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04n6sm0/baby-p-the-untold-story
ReplyDeleteThe above link showcases Gilbert's talent for fixing reports retrospectively for her paymasters (OFSTED under her leadership changed Haringey's inspection rating from Good to Inadequate). Brent has obviously stumbled onto a good thing in employing her and is clearly receiving value for its shilling in this hard-pressed economic climate.,,,,,,,,