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| Muhammed Butt and Cara Davani |
The meeting comes at a time when some Labour backbenchers are still angered at the failure to deal effectively with the Employment Tribunal case and the personnel involved, as well as concerns about who will be the next Chief Executive.
There have been mutterings about Brent CMT 's connections with Tower Hamlets and similarities in ethos, in the light of the Lutfur Rahman Inquiry findings.
It is unclear whether the vacant Lead Member for Environment post will be filled at the AGM or incorporated into an existing portfolio, plus reducing the size of the Cabinet.
The Council AGM will again decide which of the rival Conservative groups will be designated the official opposition, unbless the groups come up with their own agreed solution beforehand. The composition of Committees will also be decided at the two AGMs with Scrutiny the most important. The committee has been severely criticised for its failure to scrutinise effectively but 7 out of its 8 members will remain Labour councillors. The General Purposes Committee is effectively the Cabinet plus one opposition member.
If any councilor digs deep enough they may also be concerned about proposals to extend the powers of the Chief Executive in proposed constitional changes. Particularly 2.3.2 below:
“2.3.1 The Chief Executive shall also have the authority to carry out all executive functions in the interim in the event of there being no Leader, or Deputy Leader appointed and insufficient members of the Cabinet appointed to achieve a quorum.2.3.2 Exceptionally, notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the Chief Executive shall be authorised to exercise either executive or non-executive functions where the matter is urgent unless this is prohibited by law.2.3.3 If the Chief Executive acts in the circumstances set out in paragraphs 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 above, the Chief Executive shall notify, as appropriate, the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Council, the Lead Member with portfolio responsibility for the matter to which the decision relates and the Leader of the Principal Opposition Group of any such action.“
Mo's smiling, but who has got the biggest smile in this photo?
ReplyDeletePhilip Grant.
Who's got most to smile about?
DeleteAre there any immediate plans to send the leader and deputy leader on a holiday - far far away!?
ReplyDeleteWoof!
ReplyDeleteSuch a power grab from the top while the house burns down or should we say Civic Centre burns down.
ReplyDeleteIf Labour members do not stand up for what people really think then the coming years more people will leave the Labour party.
For those Labour members who have any respect for the poor working class please stand up now and end the power grab from the top.
Vive La Revolution
'Working class people'? Labour members won't know what you're on about. Labour candidates have been banned for some years from using the c word as there are no longer any classes in our class-free society, are there? You must mean 'poor working people' surely. And even they won't get any respect unless they're 'poor HARD-working' people. And 'aspirational'.
DeleteGet with the Mandelson, Milburn, Milliband (D) programme.
Perhaps you better remind the "Top Dogs" and "Poodle at Brent Council
DeleteIt seems to me they are in a doggy Class of their own
By 'working class' they mean bankers and people who look after the bankers. https://richardosley.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/lo.pdf
DeleteLet's hope that the lead member of the environment position is filled as there are increasing and unresolved issues to be addressed in our community.
ReplyDeleteSomeone has to have the power to act in urgent situations which doubtless require the Council to exercise statutory powers and discharge legal duties. I would have thought the CE has these powers anyway otherwise why do you need a CE?. Looks like a restating of the obvious
ReplyDeleteThe Chief Executive does have those powers where there is no Leader or Deputy Leader, but the proposals (at item 13 on the agenda, when everyone will be wanting to get away) which councillors will be asked to nod through extend those powers. Why?
DeletePhilip Grant.
Strong new Scrutiny Committee elected today, so hopefully things will start to improve as far as accountability is concerned.
ReplyDeleteNew members - Filson (Chair), Miller, Tatler, Stopp, Kelcher and Farah.
Todays Sunday Times on new Business Secretary previous involved Tax Avoidance Schemes.
ReplyDeleteDid Gilbert and Co use these elaborate schemes ?
If so it makes tories "We are all into it together".a truism with the top all thieving from the public pursue
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/business/Economy/article1557120.ece