The Brent Labour Group's AGM tomorrow will be over-shadowed by last Thursday's election results. Brent goes to the polls on May 7th next year and given the volatile state of politics it is hard to predict what will happen. Those who think Reform has no chance in London should bear in mind that there may be some support in Outer London due to a collapse in the Conservative and Labour vote. A lot will depend on whether Greens and Liberal Democrats can take on Reform.
This leaves the Labour Group's choice of Deputy Mayor for 2025-26 more difficult. They would be due to be Mayor after the 2026 borough election but will they still be a councillor and able to take up the role?
So members of the Labour Group, as well as looking at the five candidates' election statements, will likely take into account the security of the ward the candidates currently represent (although that could change through some nifty selection manoeuvres ).
Cllr Ryan Hack will become this years' Mayor at the Annual Council Meeting, the youngest ever, but who will be the Deputy?
Those in the know give Cllr Ishma Moeen (Wembley Hill ward) the edge in the first past the post secret ballot. She has no current Committee position on the council so is relatively inexperienced but does have business experience according to her Register of Interests:
At the 2022 local election she was just 91votes ahead (1390) of the leading Conservative (1299).
I understand that Cllr Narinder Singh Bajwa (Northwick Park) is running again after his defeat last year. His only Committee role is on the Alcohol and Licensing Sub-Committee. His energetic and insistent campaigning has annoyed some of his colleagues, and out in the community he has been accused of over-claiming his involvment in the K-Pop Festival issue.
His business interests are based on a number of entities that share the name Skyspace, only one is recorded on the Register of Interests. The main company gives its interests as development of building projects, building completion and finishing and other letting and operating of own or leased real estates. Total net assets seem to be around £5.5m.
At the local election in 2022 Cllr Bajwa was well ahead of the nearest Conservative, 1638 votes to 984.
Another name that has cropped up is Cllr Rita Begum (Kilburn). She is Chair of Brent Connects (Kilburn) and a member of the Planning Committee.
Her entry on the Register of Interests is extensive and includes 'Ambassador for Gem Environment Building Services Lrd and Paytap' and Advisor to SD Care Agency.
Gem is based in Central London and a leading building maintenance contractor since 1999, serving London and the Southeast across sectors like local authorities, social landlords, schools, and commercial buildings.
Paytap is one of the many companies offering firms a gadget to take card payments.
Cllr Begum was top in the Kilburn 2022 local election with 2,115 votes. The nearest political rival was the Green Party at 679.
Cllr Kathleen Fraser (Chalkhill), is also a candidate. She is a veteran Labour Party member, first elected as a councillor in the 1980s and is deeply embedded in Chalkhill and its Community Centre, Community Trust and Residents' Association.
Cllr Fraser is Vice Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee. She topped the Barnhill election with 1,410 votes.
Lastly, but these candidates are listed in no particular order, is Cllr Orleen Hylton. (Preston). Cllr Hylton has been Mayor before but she was affected by illness duing the latter half of her term. She is on the Licensing Committee, the Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee, the Employers Joint Consultative Committee and vice chair of Wembley Connects.
Cllr Hylton's Register of Interest includes Diversity Office for Brent Friends of the Earth, governor of Donnington Primary Schools and Company Secretary of the Black African Caribbean Alliance.
Cllr Hylton was second in the 2022 Council election with 1417 against 941 for her Conservative rival.
As far as I can ascertain there are no committee changes likely at the AGM that will be held at 6pm tomorrow at the Civic Centre.
Note an earlier edition of this article also contained a paragraph on Cllr Robert Johnson (Chalkhill) who I have now been told has withdrawn his Mayoral submission.
45 comments:
So the invible Councillor Begum hopes to be Deputy Mayor, and then Mayor? Well known in South Kilburn for not responding to messages from Tenants and Residents Associations, whether invitations to attend residents meetings or asking for assistance with problems. Rather than pursuing the limelight (?) she would do better to do the job she was elected to do.
Make Mayors History
Rita Begum??? Is this a joke?
Rita Begum. 😂😂😂😂
Go Orleen Go! You are a brilliant local councillor. The people of Preston are lucky to have you.
As for "His energetic and insistent campaigning has annoyed some of his colleagues" he is the most annoying person I have ever come across. He's just sent us all yet another email, probably because none of us councillors will answer the phone if its him. What an extremely annoying clown he has become, or maybe he always was.
Sounds like one of the other candidates.
Orleen was a marvellous Mayor. The people need Preston’s “Iron Lady” back in the Mayor’s throne.
How could she have been a marvellous mayor, she was ill and couldn't do the job
Why?
What’s Rita actually doing as an “Ambassador for Gem Environment Building Services Lrd and Paytap' and Advisor to SD Care Agency…” - in old money? Work in a call centre?
On the register of interests:
Begum declared she was a Director of “R.B Associates PVT LTD”. At companies house this company was compulsory struck off.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14533968/filing-history
Anyone know what it did?
Many of these comments, if not all are notable for an absence of politics driving any candidate. I would not be surprised if some of the commentary was not driven by fratircine divisions within Brent Labour, itself driven by urban development rather than raising citizens out of poverty.
Why do we need a Deputy Mayor anyway? Just so the another Labour person gets extra money for us Council Taxpayers to line the Labour coffers with even more money. It is not rocket science to be a Mayor so there is no need for an "understudy" - or are Labour Councillors so dumb that they need a training for 12 months before they can delivery a speech or talk to people?
I personally believe this job is redundant but if we have to have one they elect anyone, could we please have details of the following?
How much do they get paid?
For the current Mayor and Deputy what charities did they choose to support?
How many events did they hold to raise money for said charities? and what was the cost to Brent Council?
How many local residents are invited to these events? and at what cost?
How much money was actually raised?
What charities benefitted and by what amounts?
Having all this information should hopefully trigger a CONSULTATION with residents as to whether it's a viable option or whether the Council could cut costs and save money.
Can't find Brent Mayor's allowance but this is interesting re what our councillors receive in allowances...
https://www.brent.gov.uk/-/media/files/council-and-democracy-documents/council-reps/members-allowance-scheme.pdf?rev=15ee8b7e96fb4bc09f87b2783ca2f1e8
You are surely trying to wind us up? It appears that our Superman Councillor Bajwa has been busy solving all of the problems in Brent single-handedly or so he tells people, while constantly engaging in his self-promotion, he's even had a bench installed in his ward proclaiming his name (including the title of Councillor only weeks after being elected) in memory of his father.
Councillor Bajwa appears to think that if he knows about a problem, and does nothing of value about it, then he has solved the problem and tells everyone it was all because of him. It is no wonder local residents are angry at his large volume of unwarranted self-praise, and stealing other people’s work and their campaigns. The K Pop Concert controversy was the latest glaring example of stealing others work and his lack of understanding of the people and area he is supposed to represent.
He has performed so badly for residents and abused their no politics rules of our ward wide residents’ WhatsApp Groups he has had to be removed from the majority of them, and is now kept on a tight leash on the few remaining groups where he is still a member.
It is surely time for him to go, the thought of him becoming Mayor of Brent is frightening as his already large ego will become impossible for us residents to bear.
It costs more money to have a mayor office than money raised
The cost of the Office of Mayor & Deputy Mayor (at least 2 full time staff plus the office cost and all the time other officers need to spend to support) will easily come to £100,000 each year - very much more than most Mayors raise for Charities. In recent years the position of Mayor in Brent has been usurped by the Leader of the Council who grabs all the juicy photo opportunities. For most it is just an ego trip at our expense.
If it was struck off it either did very little or built up debts & went bust or failed to comply with Company Law rules.
Can anyone answer trhe questions posed by Anon@10.32
Surely Labour Councillors are not using Wembley Matters to score points against each other?
Unfortunately currently Local Government Law requires Brent to have a Mayor - I do not believe there is a requirement for a Deputy Mayor.
So we could save some money and the unsightly infighting if the Council simply agreed NOT to appoint a Deputy which is such a pointless position.
In Brent the appointment is a political decision depending on which party is in control rather than rewarding an individual of an outstanding contribution to the area. The only time when the political 'abuse' was broken and the position shared was when Liberal Democrats held the balance of power in Brent.
Cllr Ajmal would make a good candidate for Mayor. He is a total good cllr, he helped my family lots and i think we should make him mayor becuse he cares so much.
Appparently Cllr Ajmal Akram is Cllr Mo Butt's brother in law :(
How much if our council tax payers money is being wasted on this?
Having been to recent council meetings the Brent Mayors have chaired them very poorly - mumbling when talking and getting confused over the agendas.
Let's get a Mayor who can handle meetings properly and forget about a deputy mayor.
Would rather the candidates for this who sit on the alcohol and licensing committee sorted out all the problem premises selling alcohol in Brent first:
https://harrowonline.org/2025/05/06/wembley-store-in-street-drinking-hotspot-wants-to-sell-stronger-alcohol/
Agreed
The requirement to have one doesn’t necessarily stipulate they have to he paid though right? The payment of these people as mayors is a political choice?
In the good old days when the public had respect for their Council and their Councillors it was the tradition to 'award' the position of Mayor to a person who has contributed to the borough and provided a service to residents for many years. In recent years the Labour Party have used the position of the Mayor as a political tool and for their own factional in fighting. As a result the 'service' element has gone and might only just have been elected and be handed the Mayorship as a political tool rather than recognition of services. How long have the Labour Candidates been on the Council for and what have they actually contributed to deserve to become the First Citizen of Brent? Neither the proposed Mayor or the named deputy candidates have done enough to deserve the honour. This is another example of the Labour Party in Brent undermining our traditions.
So, it seems that Cllr Kathleen Fraser will follow Cllr Tarik Darr and Cllr Ryan Hack as Brent's Mayors, that is, if the Labour Party remain in power in 2026 which is very unlikely, and Kathleen is re-elected, which also seems rather unlikely. We all expect a Tory, Reform, Lib-Dem coalition is the most likely outcome in 2026. Let's face it, the Labour Party hierarchy haven't got a clue. The alternative is a Green/Indie coalition. Think about it!
The Labour Party's death throws in Brent are becoming all too obvious. Come on our un-friend Towerblock Tatler, lose Brent for the Labour Party, just as you did the safe Labour seat of Chingford and Woodgreen.
There are only so many of them that one can sl.................................. Yay M ................... & his m8s
If the days have gone when the Mayor dom was given to a resident for services to the borough, then this nonsense is truly past it's sell by date. Brent Council fix up and save us residents money by abolishing this position. Should be given to a volunteer for free and not cost us a penny.
Not sure Greens are still active, ive not had a leaflet for years
This is a very interesting debate and a bit of speculation what might happen after the local elections in May 2026. Unlike Parliament Councils are elected on fixed terms of 4 years. If no one Party gains a majority of seats then some sort of arrangement needs to take place to keep the place running. In recent past there have been arrangements between Labour and Lib Dems in the mid 1990s and between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives in the mid 2000s.
While there may be a lot of speculation of what might happen in a 12 months time - one thing is certain - Liberal Democrats have no intention of any deals or arrangements with Reform.
Irony of course is Lib Dems went into coalition with Tories, but Reform and Lib Dems have lots in common.
Localism: Both parties support giving more power to local councils and communities rather than central government.
• Planning and Development: Both often oppose top-down housing targets, advocating for more local control over planning decisions.
• Council Tax: Both parties criticize rising council tax and focus on ensuring better value for money from local services.
• Basic Local Services: Both emphasize improving local infrastructure, such as road maintenance, waste collection, and street lighting.
• Opposition to Overdevelopment: Both parties tend to resist large-scale developments that lack local approval, with a focus on protecting the local community.
• Accountability and Transparency:
Both parties advocate for greater transparency in local government, pushing for clearer reporting on how council money is spent and decisions are made.
• Public Health and Safety:
Both support local health services and focus on ensuring that local authorities are better equipped to handle healthcare, crime, and emergency services, particularly in underserved areas.
• Anti-Bureaucracy:
Both the Lib Dems and Reform UK often campaign on reducing bureaucratic red tape within local councils to make services more efficient and less costly to taxpayers.
• Transport:
Both parties have emphasized improving local transport infrastructure, such as roads, public transport, and cycle lanes, to make commuting easier and reduce congestion.
• Affordable Housing:
Both parties generally support affordable housing initiatives at the local level, but with differing motivations. The Lib Dems focus on creating affordable homes in a sustainable way, while Reform UK may focus on building homes to meet local demand without overdeveloping areas.
• Community Involvement:
Both parties stress the importance of community consultation on local matters, particularly when it comes to large projects or policy changes that impact local areas, such as new housing developments or major infrastructure projects.
• Protecting Green Spaces:
Both are likely to support the preservation of local parks and green spaces from being sold off or redeveloped, though their reasons may differ. The Lib Dems highlight the environmental and recreational value, while Reform UK focuses on maintaining traditional community areas.
- so wouldn’t you be biting your nose off to spite your face by not going into coalition with reform?
- are you not ready to govern again Cllr Lorber?
Probably said that about the tories once upon a time And look what happened
Well if you did a deal with labour you wouldn’t be elected again
Vote Liberal Democrat, Get Cllr Butt?
This has been written, obviously by an insider Labour person. It is so vitriolic so as to inviting me to think if this post s author might have a grudge
Vote, and get a rubbish council. Don't vote, and get a rubbish council.
Vote based on local issues not national issues and make a difference to where you live.
If only that's how it actually works
Tatler now runs Brent? Or will?
What a wonderful speech by our new Mayor. Inspiring indeed.
I agree. Hope to publish later
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