Despite the furore over the alleged concealment of the death of Tayo Oladapo and the row over the double Planning Committee to approve Quintain's Wembley development Muhammed Butt retained the Labour Group leadership at today's AGM by just four votes.
Margaret McLennan, having stood on a platform that the role is 'non-political', was elected Butt's deputy following a re-ballot when the initial vote was a tie with Michael Pavey.
Their names now go forward as nominations to the Full Council meeting on Wednesday.
One councillor commented that there were now two factions in the Labour Group with no middle ground between them adding that strong whipping was evident.
Michael Pavey, (Barnhill ward) who had challenged Butt, survived as a Cabinet member and others elected to Cabinet were Roxanne Mashari (Welsh Harp), Harbi Farah (Welsh Harp) Krupesh Hirani (Dudden Hill), Wilhelmina Mitchell Murray (Wembley Central) and Eleanor Southwood (Queens Park).
This means that Ruth Moher and James Denselow leave the Cabinet.
Roles will be allocated later.
Other key posts will be Chairs of the two Scrutiny Committees and Chair of Planning Committee.
Although Cllr Butt won the election, albeit by a narrow margin, he may not be out of the woods yet as there is likely to be an internal Labour Party inquiry over the Tayo Oladapo allegations and a possible reference to the Brent Council Standards Committee.
Margaret McLennan, having stood on a platform that the role is 'non-political', was elected Butt's deputy following a re-ballot when the initial vote was a tie with Michael Pavey.
Their names now go forward as nominations to the Full Council meeting on Wednesday.
One councillor commented that there were now two factions in the Labour Group with no middle ground between them adding that strong whipping was evident.
Michael Pavey, (Barnhill ward) who had challenged Butt, survived as a Cabinet member and others elected to Cabinet were Roxanne Mashari (Welsh Harp), Harbi Farah (Welsh Harp) Krupesh Hirani (Dudden Hill), Wilhelmina Mitchell Murray (Wembley Central) and Eleanor Southwood (Queens Park).
This means that Ruth Moher and James Denselow leave the Cabinet.
Roles will be allocated later.
Other key posts will be Chairs of the two Scrutiny Committees and Chair of Planning Committee.
Although Cllr Butt won the election, albeit by a narrow margin, he may not be out of the woods yet as there is likely to be an internal Labour Party inquiry over the Tayo Oladapo allegations and a possible reference to the Brent Council Standards Committee.
What a joke and what a bad day for Brent residents,
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with Michael Pavey..
Such a shame
D'you think that if Butt eviscerated a puppy live on The One Show 50% of the Labour group on the council would see this as a plot by other councillors to damage his reputation and therefore a good reason to close ranks around him?
ReplyDeleteOr aren't they that bright?
Looks like the residents of Brent won't stand a hope of getting their voices heard with Councillors Butt and McLennan forming a double act. Expect to see the whole of Wembley one huge housing development. Awful. Let's just hope that the Councillors who voted against them keep fighting and opposing.
ReplyDeleteFor the planning committee to have any credibility it will need to have Sarah Marquis back as chair and good strong members on it who are prepared to grill the applicants.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree. Brent residents need Sarah Marquis back as Chair of Planning Committee and not one of Councillor Butt's chums. She has honesty and integrity and respects the views and concerns of residents.
DeleteShe does indeed. The problem is that the remainder of the committee are Butt's muppets.
DeleteI'm not a religious person but I dont know what to say other than God help us
ReplyDeleteWhat a disaster for Brent residents. Councillor Quintain-Butt retained as leader and a deputy who puts herself before the interests and views of her constituents. Brent will soon be a main challenger to North Korea in the league of lunatic dictatorships.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awful result for Brent ! These two have the thickest skins to think that they have the mandate of Brent residents to act as Leader and Deputy when they are loathed for their awful mismanagement of the Borough
ReplyDeleteWe're moving
ReplyDeleteWhat post could Wilhelmina Mitchell Murray possibly hold? - Good God ALmighty
ReplyDeleteWell done Cllr Butt on your Victory. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteIf that's good work then I hate to see what is bad !!
DeleteTerrible thing dementia ....
DeleteGood work?? Please back up your statement...
DeleteMargaret McLennan, having stood on a platform that the role is 'non-political'
ReplyDelete^ what does that mean in practice?
'I'm a simple soul and I promise to be a malleable cipher'.
DeleteWe're doomed.
ReplyDeleteI feel like creating a protest outside the civic centre!!
I know I could have an army of brent residents and a school full of children on my side in support for Michael Pavey
We can only have concerns for the future.
ReplyDeleteButt should have been suspended like Livingstone, Pavey should have seen to that.
ReplyDeleteBrent had a lucky escape. Pavey has been in charge of the finances and is responsible for the cuts many have campaigned against. Cllr Duffy himself in his open letter in Feb 2016 pointed the finger strongly at Pavey and reading some of the things here about Pavey's views on austerity match.
ReplyDeleteButt may not be everyone's cup of tea, but he is not nasty. Pavey and his camp have launched a seriously disgraceful campaign against Butt and decency prevailed.
Are you serious!!! This must be Butt himself
DeletePavey had rightly lost his spot as deputy on the council too - justice can be so sweet!
ReplyDeleteServes you right Pavey, if you challenged Butt on his political decisions and not this personal campaign, you may have got somewhere!
Hardly justice...
DeleteWe needed justice for the people of Brent!
And we were so close to having that.
Unfortunately now with Pavey out of leadership.. WE'RE F***ED!!!
Wembley should be renamed "Butt-Quintain"
ReplyDelete