Inde Cllr Ohid Ahmed hi-fives Mayor on safety

A SET of five motions coming to next Wednesday’s Council meeting as the Independent Group of councillors puts forward a strategy to make the Borough a safer place.

When he was Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ohid had a special brief for safety – and he doesn’t believe that Labour’s John Biggs is keeping up to scratch. The Biggs budget zapped extra policing officers whom Independent Councillors had recommended. Time and money has also been spent on a review of the Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour strategy which has dragged on for months, with little result – other than the resignation of the Cabinet Member in charge of it.

Cllr Ohid and the Independent Councillors have submitted five motions to the Council on these important issues:
•Fire Safety in Tower Hamlets
•Acid Attacks, covering aspect of Islamophobia
•Sports participation, funding for sports in the Borough and Olympic legacy
•Youth Services provision and Youth Centres in Tower Hamlets
•Public Sector – including Emergency Workers – Pay Cap

The motions are intended to support Cllr Ohid’s Five Point Action Plan for a Safer Tower Hamlets:
•Establish a dedicated Tower Hamlets Hate Crime Commission
•More youth workers, youth centres and provisions for our young people
•Support for anti-drugs services and campaigns
•Fire Safety & Maintenance – Greater accountability from RSLs and others
•More Police officers & THEOs on the beat

Now the battle will be to get the motions debated. The Labour Group, which has a majority of councillors in the Council Chamber, usually uses procedural manoeuvres to avoid having to debate motions tabled by Independent Councillors. Even if the motions are debated, under the Executive Mayoral System the Mayor, John Biggs, is not obliged to pay any attention to them.

•The Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, 19th July, starting at 7pm, in the Town Hall, Mulberry Place, E14 3BG. It is open to members of the public.

•Read more about it:
Indes grill Biggs on safety and services
Tragic teenager dies in Mile End fire

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