It had been suggested that Cllr Muhammed Butt has taken on Cllr Shama Tatler's portfolio only temporarily until a new Cabinet member was appointed. However, in an updated Full Council Agenda yesterday it appears that this is permanent arrangement.
Cllr Butt has granted himself direct power over Regeneration, Planning and Growth in addition to Housing which he took over when Cllr Promise Knight went on maternity leave.
Given the number of controversial developments and planning decisions in Brent this might be seen as too much power and influence for one person. Cllr Butt hs been pro-active in early meetings with developers before applications get to Planning Committee but now has a formal role. What price the independence of Brent Planning Commitee?
Other changes were notified on the Agenda following the resignation from Committee positions of ex-Deputy Mayor Cllr Diana Collymore:
Full Council – 18 November 2024
Agenda Item 5 – Appointments to Committees & Outside Bodies
Standing Order 30(g) states that, if necessary, Full Council is required to agree appointments to committees and outside bodies. In addition to the changes listed Council is being asked to confirm the appointment of an Independent Person.
Such appointments are set out below:
Cabinet Membership
Council is asked to note that effective from 8 November 2024 the Leader of the Council has incorporated the role of Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Growth within his remit following Councillor Shama Tatler having stood down from her role as a Cabinet Member.
Committee Appointments:
1. Audit & Standards Advisory Committee and Audit & Standards Committee – Councillor Lesley Smith to replace Councillor Teo Benea as a full member.
2. Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Teo Benea to replace Councillor Diana Collymore as a full member
3. Corporate Parenting Committee – Councillor Lesley Smith to replace Councillor Diana Collymore as a full member.
4. Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee - Councillor Teo Benea to replace Councillor Diana Collymore as a substitute
member
20 comments:
Why did he also not appoint himself as Deputy Mayor too to fill the vacancy created by Labour Councillor Diane Collymore after her racist outburst against a Council contractor? How could a man so keen to control absolutely everything possibly miss such a golden opportunity?
Ah, the Deputy Mayor is subject to a contested democratic vote.
Is it?
Doesn't mean of course that the Leader refrains from using his influence.
Will he chair the new Housing Advisory Panel?
As it just dawned that he has pulling the strings for a long time? he is now proudly showing off his Dictatorship bit like Putin.
If there was ever a reason to get him out now's the time, surely this can't be legal can it? Oh forgot it;s Bent not Brent.
Dictatorship has arrived.
Click bait headline Martin? A more nuanced analysis might be that, any replacement for Shama Tatler would have been cast in the same mould anyway, it's a one party administration not a coalition, so where would the power grab be, decisions and outcomes would be the same whoever had the job. By taking on the role himself Butt is saving the wage of a full time cabinet member in the middle of a budget crisis.
Edited comment: I have been very worried about the direction that Brent council has been going in since Butt installed himself. A complete disappearance of housing stock. This LA has become the most corrupt in London and urgent investigations are needed. We residents are simply not getting any value for the massive council tax we’re paying.
In fact bankruptcy would accelerate the towers outside of tall building zone processing of Brentland.
Tower Hamlets West
Martin is correct about the obvious mismatch between massive council tax, record taxation being on population imposed supposedly to end austerity, Butt then at the same time the continued austere clearance of Brentland process for global market investor feudal tower builds?
It would be interesting to know precisely the new land 'Lords' buying up Brent suburban houses to transform them into Brent towers, while championing austere neglect?
The Public Sector Equalities Duty does not appear to function in Brent.
What is the true hidden value to new Landed Lords and tenanted tower owners of Brent going bankrupt?
More Council tax to 'play with', more council assets to rapid dispose of, more austerity, more land and airspace to lord it over...
Croydon is the London pathfinder for this civic fail process.
Cannot wait until the aftermath of the local elections in 2026 when Good ol' Mo finally announces that we are now all residents of the 'London Borough of Butt'. The BAPS temple will be called the BUTT temple, Barham Park will be called Butt Park and the Civic Centre will be converted into a shrine for our dear leader and his accomplishments in the borough. Each fast food outlet will be required to sell MoMos and the underground logo will be replace with cigarette Butts.
All hail our MoMo! Any opposition is futile and a sign of weakness.
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Simple solution: vote Labour out at the next local elections!!!
Another solution is for lawmakers (411 Labour/72 Liberal Democrat MP's) to now define what brownfield land is in English law.
Local bespoke definitions of what brownfield land is (what has happened to date in England) is too much individual/ corporate power. Even in the USA where the term brownfield originates, brownfield land is legally defined at national level so that everyone is kept on the same page to ensure equitable public safeguarding.
That’s why Brent financial situation is so bad because of the political leadership or lack of and the corrupt decisions taken only to satisfy their own interests. Look at the recent news. Nobody is auditing their spending on dodgy contracts and very low revenue levels collected from tax and other services. They are just fiddling the figures to hide the dire effects until there is nowhere to hide.
I repeat ...
Simple solution: vote Labour out at the next local elections!!!
"North London borough warns its finances are 'at breaking point' as residents face council tax hike. Waste collection costs set to rise in local authority’s drive to find further £16million of cuts"
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/brent-council-finances-council-tax-rise-muhammed-butt-b1194676.html
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