Ann John ousted as Council leader

Muhammed Butt, deputy leader of Brent Council, ousted Ann John at the Labour Group AGM this weekend by 21 votes to 19.  His election as Brent Council leader is subject to confirmation at the Full Council meeting on Wednesday.

Cllr James Powney survived a challenge from Cllr Claudia Hector.

On Thursday Brent Fightback will be making representations on the Council leafleting licensing scheme at the Call In Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

In his acceptance speech Muhammed Butt said:

“It is an honour to be elected to this position.

I would like to pass my deepest thanks to my predecessor Cllr. Ann John and look forward to her continuing to be deeply involved in the Borough that I know she has loved and served for many years.

These are the toughest financial times in the history of Brent. I want to develop a new approach to the relationship between Councillors and Officers, between front and back benchers and between the Labour Party and our residents. I believe that the more united we are as a Borough the more effective our fight back against this government will be.

I stand for responsibility, fairness and the values of equality that underpin the Labour party and I look forward to beginning the hard work for Brent residents in my new role”.

That should read:

The next meeting of Brent Fightback, the local anti-cuts campaign, is next Monday, 14th May, 7.30 p.m. at Brent Trades Hall, 375 High Road, NW10 2JR.

 

The next meeting of Brent Fightback, the local anti-cuts campaign, is next Monday, 14th May, 7.30 p.m. at Brent Trades Hall, 375 High Road, NW10 2JR.

Among other things, we will be discussing:

* Local campaign against the loss of NHS services;

* Cuts in benefits and how it will affect Brent residents;

* The defence of local education against the spread of Academies and free schools;

* Latest on libraries;

* opposing Brent Council’s plans to restrict the right to leaflet.

All welcome

May 10th Strikes

 Several unions are on strike this coming Thursday (May 10th) against the government’s plans to worsen their pensions. Unite in the NHS, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), and the University and College Union (UCU) will be taking action locally.

Fightback supporters are being asked by the PCS to show support at the picket lines at the Jobcentres in Wembley (6 St. Johns Rd, HA9 7JD) and Kilburn (3 Cambridge Avenue, NW6 5AH, staff entrance in Coventry Close). There will also be strikers outside the College of North West London sites in Willesden and Wembley and Central Middlesex and Northwick Park Hospitals. If you can get along to show support, it is always welcome.

There is a central London march for strikers and their supporters from St Thomas’s hospital (Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH) at 12 noon to Central Hall SW1, followed by a rally in the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster (Storey’s Gate, SW1H 9NH) from 1 p.m.

The next meeting of Brent Fightback is on Monday, 14th May, 7.30 p.m. at the Trades Hall, 375 High Road, NW10 2JR. All are welcome