It appears that Labour have likel y made a deal with Brent Conservatives that potentially will give Cllr Muhammed Butt another four years as leader of Brent Council. Not a position that many residents and members of the local Brent Conservatative and Brent Labour parties will find palatable.
In the deal it appears that Brent Conservatives will chair each of the two Scrutiny Committees and possibly be given a Mayor or Deputy Mayor position. There is no news of any detailed policy matters agreed between the two groups.
What is really astonishing, given the huge drop in the Labour vote in the local election, is that Muhammed Butt has made Cllr Matt Kelcher, former Planning Committee chair lead member for Regeneration. Furthermore (surely not!) he has appointed his brother, Saqib Butt, to replace Kelcher as Chair of the Planning Committee (he was vice chair in the outgoing administration).
This marks the continuation of the Towerblock Tatler approach to development now headed by the Towerblock Triad!
Ridiculous. Given Conservative HQ have intervened to stop other backroom deals, hopefully they'll re-evaluate this one.
ReplyDeleteThe Brent Tories have long had a fascination verging on a fixation with the Mayoralty. And wearing their blue robes to the Annual General Meeting. Does this all boil down to a “dressing up” fetish?
ReplyDeleteWhatever, a truly bizarre and utterly cynical scam, err, scheme to contrive another four years of Buttism. I’m looking forward to Kani Bebadenough delivering a public rebuke and humiliation of the Brent Tory leadership.
But Labour won’t have a majority on the planning committee anymore?
ReplyDeleteYES they will because of the Chair's Casting Vote - another stupid Tory decision to allow this to happen. And who is the Chair of Planning - Mo Butt's brother of course.
DeleteLabour do have the majority on Planning via their casting vote, not bad for 45% of the council seats? And they have a Labour YIMBY as Regen and planning Lead. Watch out for towerblocks and five storey blocks in your neighbours' gardens, maybe even in the grass verges.
DeleteLabour will only have half the seats on Planning Committee, but Muhammed Butt's brother, Saqib, will be Chair with the casting vote if it is a 50:50.split. Not good news for residents opposing proposed overdevelopments in their area!
DeleteShameful if true!
ReplyDeleteYou could not make this up , Brent now the laughing stock of London Councils
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely disgraceful from Labour. Partnering with the Tories ONLY because it suits them personally AND then to keep Butt as leader when the voters of Brent have clearly called for a change. They should be ashamed of themselves!
ReplyDeleteAnd they did.
ReplyDeleteVote Tory get BUTT!
ReplyDelete