Muhammed Butt re-elected as Brent Leader

Muhammed Butt was re-elected leader of the Labour Group on Brent Council at their Annual General Meeting. As Labour have 57 out of 60 seats on the Council (three to come at the delayed Willesden Green ward election) this makes him Leader of Brent Council to be rubber-stamped at the first Full Council meeting.

Butt told the assembled councillors, including 19 or so new ones, 'The terrible decisions are yet to come.' Not terribly reassuring and it is a pity he didn't tell the electorate that.

Butt defeated Roxanne Mashari comfortably but there was praise for her speech on the importance of transparency and the need to allow debate.

The Standing Orders were adopted, but not after some objections and a promise to keep them under review. As I understand it this means that Muhammed Butt will nominate members of the Cabinet and the main committees himself, rather than allocate roles from a list elected by the whole group. There may be a hustings.

I have not yet heard whether their terms of office and that of the leader will be extended.