Brent Labour Group's campaign 'war chest'

It was interesting to see the Brent Labour Group accounts for 2022, local election year, that were presented at the recent AGM.  The accounts are straight-forward and there is nothing 'dodgy' in them as far as I can see but they do have implications for local democracy.

Most elected councillors, from whatever political party, pay a contribution from their allowance (not 'pay') to their party. In 2022 that contribution by Brent Labour councillors totalled c£95,000 while campaigning costs in election year were slightly higher at c£98,000.

The basic councillor allowance is not huge but can be built up with additional allowances for chairing committes, Brent Connects etc as well as special allowances for the leader and cabinet membership.

There is an unfortunate side effect of this in that there is an incentive to maximise the Labour Group income by awarding as many such positions to Labour councillors as possible.  Hence the failure of opposition moves early in the new administration to appoint Scrutiny Committee chairs from the opposition benches. Such appointment may be good for local democracy but not good for the coffers...

There is also an incentive, within the limited overall budget of more than £1m annually, to create additional positions that carry an allowance. 

Over the 4 year period of the current administration the total accrued to Labour Group funds will be c£380,000.  This is a significant fund and gives Labour a distinct advantage over other local parties for campaigning at the next election although there are statutory limits to such expenditure.  As long as Labour gains election success an in-year loss in election year can be more than recovered.

A further issue suggested by Labour insiders is that because most additional appointments are made by the Leader rather than elected by the group, it gives him/her considerable control over the current and potential financial well-being of members. Displeasing the leader may mean little chance of achieving a position in the adminstration that carries an additional allowance.

NOTE - the 2023-24 appointments are on the Agenda for the Brent Council AGM on Wednesday 17th May but details have not yet been published in the Appendices. The General Purpose Committee consists of Cabinet members plus one opposition councillor.

Brent Labour Group back school workers' campaign for fully funded pay increase

 

Only limited response by Labour Group members to Whip's survey aimed at listening to them

Brent Labour Whip, Steve Crabb, is trying hard to improve 2-way communication with his Labour Group colleagues, with limited success.

A recent survey of the 49 strong group achieved only 27 responses. 

Of the 27 most felt the length of Labour Group meetings and content  was about right but wanted more financial debate and data that would help them measure the Council's performance standards.

Ahead of the Labour Group Away Day, that will include a personality assessment, ('how our character, our outlook and our lived experience, shape the way we work individually and as part of a team;) the survey found only 8 members had not undertaken any personality questionnaire  and 11 had completed the Myers Brigg test LINK.

Awayday 'psychology test' for Brent Labour councillors

 The Brent Labour Group are being asked to take a controversial personal traits test ahead of a Group Awayday by the Labour Chief Whip Steve Crabb. It appears to be part of his bid to make this administration's Labour Group the 'most united Labour Group in the history of Brent Council.' (1)

Each councillor is asked to answer a battery of questions that Crabb suggests will enable them to better know themselves and others in the way they approach tasks, and thus work more effectively within the Group. Crabb who is a qualified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator practioner will analyse the answers and place each councillor in one of 16 categories.

What happens to this result?

Crabb's entry on the Council's Register of Interests includes 'Independent Consultant, SC Consulting'. His Myers-Brigg work is done voluntarily and not connected with the consultancy.

The video below summarises well the critique of the method which has become part of a multi-million industry used by many corporations.

 

As an education student in the 1970s I came across this test and many other psyschological tests which were fascinating at first, obsessed as we humans are with finding out about ourselves.  However, the novelty soon wore off in the face of a critique from sociologists who saw the tests as masking the real differences between people that were often of a philosophical or political nature.

Treating the Labour Group as if it is some kind of corporation  feeds into what appears to be the managerialist approach of Labour in Brent.  If the Labour Group unites as a team, and understands and value each other, political differences will somehow disappear.

There is a common belief that if we only understand each and and communicate effectively we will all be 'nice' and will end up agreeing.  On the contrary, effective  communication may mean differences are clearer. (For example on affordable housing!)

Given the very limited role of backbench Labour councillors in terms of policy making and strategy alongside the highly controlling current leadership, this is worrying. Genuine debate on conflicting ideas can lead to progress.

I am not sure what some of the more grounded Labour councillors will make of the MBTI but certainly they need to be asking questions about how the results will be  used, who will have access to them, and whether the Group time devoted to it could be better used to address the very many issues confronting the council and its residents.

For those who would like to know more I list some references below. Some advocates of MBTI will argue that the tests have been refined since publication of the video so perhaps the best introduction is a recent article in the Independent:

How thousands of companies ended up using a bogus psychology test ontheir staff

 

https://steve.myers.co/mbti-criticisms/

 

 

https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/my-mbti-results/your-mbti-best-fit-type.htm

 

 

https://www.livescience.com/65513-does-myers-briggs-personality-test-work.html

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-28315137

 

 

https://www.vox.com/2014/7/15/5881947/myers-briggs-personality-test-meaningless

 

 

https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/the-problem-with-the-myers-briggs-personality-test

 

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/give-and-take/201309/goodbye-mbti-the-fad-won-t-die

 

(1) Following Wembley Matters coverage of appointments and election to council roles at the Labour Group AGM  after the local elections, newly appointed Chief Whip, Steve Crabb, wrote to all the  Labour councillors expressing his disappointment that there had been a leak. He went on express the hope that the leak was not from a member of the Labour Group: 'I want us to be remembered as the most united Labour Group in the history of Brent Council. Let's work together to make sure the first leak is the last.'

BREAKING: Cllr Abdirazak Abdi resigns from Brent Labour Group

 

 

As the above screengrab from the Brent Council website shows Cllr Abdirazak Abdi is no longer a member of the Labour Group after his resignation.  He follows in the footsteps of Kilburn councillor John Duffy, who also became independent, and more recently Cllr Kieron Gill who was suspended from the group for 6 months after he abstained on the budget.

 

The resignation comes just under a week before the GLA election and the Brondesbury Park by-election caused by Gill’s resignation. It is a year before the Brent Council elections which will be fought on revised ward boundaries with a smaller number of seats.

 

Cllr Abdi, a socialist, lost his position on Brent Planning Committee after allegedly voting the ‘wrong way’ despite that Committee being statutorily non-political and therefore not whipped LINK. LI

 

He clearly has not been happy with the direction that Brent Council has taken under the leadership of Cllr Muhammed Butt and previously challenged him for the leadership. Like many on the left of Brent Labour he was attracted to the party by Jeremy Corbyn and distrustful of what many call ‘managerial Labour.’

 

More generally I understand there is disquiet in the party over what appears to be attempts to put pressure on the two Scrutiny committees over what reaches their agendas. This follows the calling in by a group of Labour members of the 1 Morland Gardens development for scrutiny LINK , the special meeting on the  the implementation of Healthy Neighbourhoods   (LTNs) LINK  and a skirmish over the possible calling in of AT Medics over the Centene takeover of GP surgeries in Brent LINK.

 

 

As said many times on Wembley Matters, the role of scrutiny in a mainly one-party council is absolutely crucial and it will be a sad day for democratic accountability if the leader’s control is extended to the Scrutiny Committees, as well as his more subtle influence on the Planning Committee.

 

Muhammed Butt to be challenged for Labour Group leadership

In 2012 I got into trouble with then councillor Jim Moher in quoting a report about his part in the ousting of Ann John, then leader of Brent Council, and her replacement by her deputy, Muhammed Butt. LINK Moher said that he and his wife Ruth Moher, who became deputy leader, were engaged  openly in a democratic process.  Butt won the leadership by a narrow margin.

I am sure that Cllr Butt then will welcome the democratic process that will happen at the 2 stage virtual AGM. The first stage is on September 2nd and the second on September 5th   The AGM takes place after the publication of a report aimed at improving democracy in the Labour Group and more widely. LINK

Councillor Abdirazak Abdi (Kilburn) in an apparent attempt to reinforce the principle that democratic challenge is legitimate, is standing for many of the  positions, including the leadership,  according to the nomination list circulated recently.

Cllr Liz Dixon (Dollis Hill) is bidding to continue as Chair while Cllr Ihtesham Afzal  (Preston) challenges incumbent Vice Chair  Cllr Abdi Aden (Stonebridge).  Cllr Neil Nerva (Queens Park) is not standing again as Treasurer and the post will be contested by  Abdirazak Abdi, Cllr Shafique Choudhary (Barnhill) and Cllr  Keiron Gill (Brondesbury Park) a critic of the democracy report. Cllr Promise Knight (Stonebridge) is not continuing as Secretary and Councillor Sonia Shah (Wembley Central) has thrown her hat into the ring.

Cllr Sandra Kabir (Queensbury)wishes to remain Chief Whip but is challenged by Cllr Abdi.

Cllr Thomas Stephens (Sudbury) author of the democracy report, Cllr Promise Knight, Cllr Robert Johnson (Northwick Park),  and Nerva (a former leadership challenger to Butt) have all submitted an interest in joining the Cabinet.

One of the more interesting contests will be for the chairs of the two Scrutiny Committees. The group has recently agreed that one of the committees should be chaired by a  woman. Currently they are both chaired by men, Matt Kelcher and Cllr Ketan Sheth (Tokyngton).  They are standing again  and Cllr Roxanne Mashari (Welsh Harp and a former leadership challenger LINK), Cllr Fleur Donnelly-Jackson (Willesden Green) and Cllr Robert Johnson  are all candidates. It will be interesting, as I tweeted yesterday, to see if the positions are filled by people with the essential independence and integrity when the council is dominated by a single party and much power is concentrated in the Cabinet.

Sources suggest that Cllr James Denselow (Queens Park) is currently out of favour. He voted against the 1 Morland Gardens planning application recently, although it appears that falling out of favour pre-dated this.  Clearly his position as Chair of Planning Committee is a key one and given Cllr Butt's great interest in planning, a loyalist is likely to be appointed.  Kelcher and Johnson have been suggested as possibilities.

One issue that rankles with some is an unanswered question about how many councillors are members of Councillor Butt's extended family. On the one hand that should not matter as anyone is entitled to stand and if someone is a brother, brother-in-law or uncle, the relationship does not denote shared views. On the other hand, is this a matter of public interest when several of them (it has been suggested there are five altogether) could be on the same committee as members or substitutes?

Some Labour Group members are concerned that an election for Deputy Mayor will not take place at the AGM.

UPDATE: Butt's power grab confirmed as councillors vote themselves a 17% increase

It was ironic that the public were unable to watch last night's Brent Full Council Meeting as the meeting itself demonstrated how the Labour Council has become inward looking, revelling in the fancy dress pomp of the mayoralty, giving themselves a 17% rise and with Butt's plan to have a guaranteed four years as leader confirmed.  Perhaps it was better that the public were spared the spectacle because they would surely have been reaching for their sick bowls.

The Labour Group has developed self-congratulation and mutual grooming into a fine art and surely any suggestion that robust scrutiny will come from within their own ranks can be consigned to fairy land.

Wembley Matters covered the likely extension of Butt's power on the eve of the local election LINK as well as the appointment of Butt loyalists to Cabinet posts LINK, but even we did not predict the spiteful swipe at the opposition by the slashing of the opposition leader's allowance.

Magnanimity in victory? 'No, my friend...'

With not quite 4 out of 10 registered Brent residents voting, and only 3 out of 10 in Butt's own ward of Tokyngton, the gap between councillors and the ordinary people of Brent is widening. Surely it is time to campaign for more representative and participative local government?

UPDATE allowances at other nearby councils (from Kilburn Times):

Full details of appointments to committees HERE

This is the composition of the Planning Committee:

Open letter adds to pressure on the Village School to reject academisation

The following open letter has been sent to local and national newspapers regarding the proposed academisation of The Village School, a special school in Kingsbury. It has been signed by a number of Brent Labour councillors (The Village School Chair of Governors is Cllr Sandra Kabir, the Labour Group whip), union activists and educationalists:

The Village School is an important, valuable local asset. We oppose the unnecessary proposals for its academisation, and strongly believe that it should remain within the direct control of Brent Council.

Having been rated 'Outstanding' in its most recent Ofsted inspection, it is not only one of Brent Council’s flagship special needs school, but represents its very best. Much taxpayers' money, time and energy has been poured into this priceless local institution, and it should be directly accountable to, managed and owned by the people of Brent.

The academisation agenda is another fallacious government venture designed to fragment our state education system, pit quality staff against one another, and remove all semblance of real democratic accountability. The outstanding, hard-working and passionate teachers and support staff at the Village School – who work tirelessly every day to nurture the school’s young students and maximise their potential – have taken action to fend off this threat of academisation. We applaud their actions, and will continue to support them until this unconstructive proposal is dropped.

We implore the governing body of The Village School to halt any further discussions of academisation, and to explore other more sensible ways of working with other schools, such as legal partnerships with other schools whilst remaining in direct control of Brent Council.

Cllr Jumbo Chan, Brent (Lab)

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union

Louise Regan, President of the National Education Union (NUT section)

Kiri Tunks, Vice-President of the National Education Union (NUT section)

Martin Powell-Davies, London Regional Secretary of the National Education Union (NUT section)

Ian Murch, Treasurer of the National Education Union (NUT section)

Hank Roberts, Past National President of ATL and National Education Union London Executive (ATL section)

Lesley Gouldbourne, Secretary of Brent National Education Union (NUT section)

John Roche, Secretary of Brent National Education Union (ATL section) 

Jenny Cooper, Joint National Education Union Representative at The Village School

Oscar Ayyadi, Joint National Education Union Representative at The Village School

Cllr Claudia Hector, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Roxanne Mashari, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Mikey Pavey, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Sarah Marquis, Brent (Lab) 

Cllr Keith Perrin, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Ruth Moher, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Lesley Jones, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Parvez Ahmed, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Pat Harrison, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Ahmad Shahzad, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Janice Long, Brent (Lab)

Cllr Abdi Aden, Brent (Lab)

Prof Sir Tim Brighouse, Former Honorary Norham Fellow at the Department of Education, University of Oxford

Prof Diane Reay, Professor of Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

Dr Christine Doddington, Fellow Emerita at Homerton College, University of Cambridge 

Prof Stephen Ball, Distinguished Service Professor of Sociology of Education at the UCL Institute of Education

Dr Melanie Cooke, Senior Teaching Fellow at the School of Education, Communication and Society, King’s College London, and Executive Committee member of King’s College London UCU

Dr Martin Dewey, Senior Lecturer at the School of Education, Communication and Society, King’s College London

Dr Nick Andon, Lecturer at the School of Education, Communication and Society, King’s College London

Prof Richard Hatcher, Professor of Education at the School of Education and Social Work, Birmingham City University

Dr Henry Tam, Director of Question the Powerful

Madeleine Holt, Co-founder of Rescue Our Schools

Anne Clarke , Co-founder of Rescue Our Schools 

Jonny Crawshaw, Co-founder of Rescue Our Schools 

Shana Carquez, Joint Chair of National Education Union London Young Teachers Network

Laurence Rose, Joint Chair of National Education Union London Young Teachers Network

Dr Michael Calderbank, Secretary of Brent Central Constituency Labour Party

Colin Adams, Treasurer of Brent North Constituency Labour Party

Dr Mike Phipps, Chair of Kensal Green Branch Labour Party

Alasdair Smith, National Secretary of the Anti Academies Alliance

Call for Brent Labour Group to declare opposition to The Village School academisation bid

The Trade Union Liasion Officers of Brent Central Constituency Labour Party have written ot the Labour Group on Brebt Council asking them to make a public declaration of their opposition to The Village School Governing Body's proposal  to convert the school into an academy. 

Their letter reads:

It was good to see many of you at the House of Commons in December celebrating the Brent Central election victory with Dawn Butler, Jeremy Corbyn, Ian Lavery (chair of PLP), Kate Osamor and others.

You will recall that the issue of the Governors’ attempt to privatise Village School through academisation was discussed.It was great to have an assurance from Jeremy at the meeting that the national Labour Party policy is opposition to academisation and Dawn has already made clear her opposition to this privatisation.

The National Education Union (formerly NUT and ATL) was forced to stage a one day strike on 14 December which closed the school.120 teachers at the school were on strike in order to prevent this huge resource and vital service (as one of the largest and most modern special schools in England it serves the whole of Brent and is rated Outstanding by OFSTED).

Sadly more strikes are being prepared for this month as Governors press on with a plan to take this resource out of the public sector (losing £millions of Brent Council investment).

We urge you at the Labour Group meeting on 8 January 2018 to make a public declaration of opposition to the Governors proposal and publicise this widely 

With best wishes for the New Year 

Graham Durham and Hank Roberts
Trade Union Liaison officers - Brent Central CLP

Brent Council champions the London Livng Wage by advertising jobs at £7.50 per hour while Political Assistant will earn £34,338 - £37,293

Brent Council has done a great deal of public relations work championing the London Living Wage so I was surprised last week to see the council tweeting a link to the above vacancy at 'up to' £7.50 per hour.

The Council's own Pay Policy statement LINK states:

 The council has implemented the London living wage. This rate has been applied to all staff who receive less than £9.75 per hour. Those whose substantive salary is below the London Living Wage are placed on the nearest spinal column point to ensure an equivalent rate to the London Living Wage. The London Living Wage will not apply to apprentices as they are paid in accordance with nationally defined training rates. The Council is an accredited London Living Wage Employer and asks its contractors supplying services to the Council to pay their staff the London Living Wage. As contractors are employers in their own right, the council cannot legally force contractors to pay the London Living Wage but has built into its procurement procedures a requirement to do so. The Council also encourages schools to pay the London Living Wage. This begs the question on why the Council is using its website and social media to advertise jobs at exploitative poverty wage rates when elsewhere it makes the case for the difference the London Living Wage makes to employees:

 Rather better paid is the post of Political Assistant to the Brent Labour Group currently advertised on the Jobs Go Public website  LINK although the job is only open to internal candidates currently employed by Brent Council or temporary agency workers currently working in the council. See the stern warning I have highlighted in red at the end of the advertisement.

The temporary post will cover the period leading up to the 2018 Council elections:

-->

Salary range: £34,338 - £37,293 p.a. inc.

Contract: Fixed term (Until 31/05/2018)

Hours of work: 36 hours per week

Location: Civic Centre and other locations from time to time

This is an exciting, high profile opportunity to work at the cutting edge of local government for an innovative local authority.

Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work here.

The council is pursuing a far-reaching transformation agenda that better meets the needs of our community so it is an exciting time to join us.

The Post

The Labour Group is looking for experience in working – paid or unpaid – in a political environment, a professional approach with the organisational skills to deal with shifting priorities. You will need to demonstrate your awareness of new legislation and political developments (local, regional and national) with particular reference to the Labour Party.

This post is politically restricted and will be offered in line with current legislation governing Political Assistant Posts. This is a temporary role to 31 May 2018.

As the Group’s Political Assistant you will be carrying out a range of interesting duties including:

·      undertaking political research in Council matters

·      assisting with the composition and issuing of press releases

·      attending Labour Group meetings to provide information and advice to Council Members

·      liaising with Members of Parliament and Officers of the Council

The Person

Ideally, you will be a member of the Labour Party and have:

·      research/administrative experience

·      experience of dealing with public bodies or political organisations

·      a good knowledge of Council political structure and public affairs

·      good interpersonal skills and organisational skills

·      good computer skills including word processing, spreadsheets, database and desk top publishing, and

·     the ability to work under pressure as part of a team as well as use your own initiative

We would like to hear from you.

Closing Date: 30 June 2017 (23:59)

Assessment & Interview Date: 12 July 2017

Additional Information

This position is only open to current employees of Brent Council or Temporary Agency Workers currently working in Brent Council. External candidates are not permitted to apply for internal only roles. Forwarding ‘internal only’ roles to external candidates may lead to disciplinary action being taken.

Brent Tories call for Brent Council to return to committee governance rather than Cabinet

Brent Conservatives have tabled a motion for the Council meeting on November 21st calling for Carolyn Downs, CEO, to formulate a commitee meeting of local government for Brent Council.

They claim that the Cabinet system, where most decisions are made by just 8 of 63 councillors, 56 of them Labour, is not working.

It is likely that many of the Labour Group, who feel excluded from key decision making, will be sympathetic but reluctant to publicly support the call.

Model of decision making in Brent 
 

This Council believes that the Cabinet system in Brent is not working. 

The Local Government Act 2000 allowed Councils to adopt different models of government - Brent chose the cabinet model - but we believe it is time for a change. 

We instruct the Chief Executive to formulate a "committee model " of government, whereby all main committees make their own decisions, which are then put to Full Council for approval. 

We believe that this model gives much greater involvement for more members and is a more open and transparent method of running the Council. 

The Chief Executive should present this report to the January Council meeting. 

Brent Conservative Group

Brent Labour Group's Away Day Blues

Word reaches me that Brent Labour Group's recent Away Day with senior officers in a Cricklewood Hotel gave some councillors the blues  - and it was nothing to do with the Tories!

Apparently Carolyn Downs, Brent Chief Executive, gave them a pep talk, explaining that it was difficult for her and the officers to work constructively with a Group suffering from such a marked lack of cohesion and goodwill,

An external facilitor worked with the Group on exercises to improve bonding. There may even have been a little mindfulness.

Reports indicate that it didn't work very well as later some critics of Cllr Butt's leadership were allegedly accused by at least one councillor of racial bias against him.

Meanwhile questions are being asked about the £18,000 plus allowance being saved by the non-appointment of a replacement for Cllr Pavey.  Is it going back into Council coffers? When the Cabinet was reduced from 10 to 8 the saved allowances were distributed amongst the remaining members of the Cabinet.  LINK

A message to tonight's meeting of Brent Labour Group from a local resident re Preston Library

The Labour Party presentation making their promise to Preston Library

The Labour Group is meeting tonight and will discuss Preston Library.  This is a letter to them from a local resident:

Dear Brent Councillor,

I know that tonight the labour group are meeting to discuss the future of Preston Library, and of the Community Library that has been providing services to local residents for the past year.  Whatever is decided will go to Cabinet next week. You are considering using the site to provide five small flats, with some community space to the rear of the property.

You may not all be aware of the loss to the community that could arise because of these plans.  The original Council run library closed five years ago and a great service to local people was lost..  For the past fifteen months Preston Community Library has provided a range of services for local people, and has become an indispensable resource.

In case you don't all know, the services are as follows:
1.    Adult lending library with fiction, non fiction and reference sections.
2.    An attractive children's library with books, displays and activities to match.
3.    Computers and free computer classes for local people
4.    ESOL [English as a Second Language] classes for residents who need to learn or improve their English
5.    Newspapers [often used by Esol Students to improve their reading]
6.    A community cinema showing films for both adults and children, often with speakers. We are grateful to Brent for Ward Working funds to purchase our professional equipment.
7.    A range of classes, which have included yoga, keep fit, knitting and others.  More can be arranged if we have a longer licence [such as Arabic, Spanish and Farsi]
8.    The Summer Reading Challenge for children, supported by Brent library service
9.    A range of individual events such as talks on mental health [from CNWL], play readings, story telling, author visits, story writing, creative writing and scrabble group meetings.

Local people have come into the library to access services and to meet people.  Many of our customers are elderly or vulnerable, and many customers tell us that they feel much less alone since we opened.  We are entirely run by volunteers and from donations, so we have provided these services at very little cost to the Council.

At a public meeting attended by both local people and Brent Councillors, we were promised that the building would be offered to the community as a library, at a peppercorn rent, subject to the need for school places.  There are no schools using the building at present [we have shared with them], and we have occupied the building on a proper licence agreement in a fully responsible manner.  We are a registered charity.  We were very shocked to learn that you are considering 'marketing' this community space to 'other community groups' in the area.  This seems to be a breach of the promise that was made.

It is essential that this facility is kept open for local people, who have little else nearby.  I hope that councillors will remember this when discussing the development proposals this evening and at Cabinet next week.

yours sincerely,
Linda Green
Preston Community Library and local resident.