Labour announces leadership team

Tower Hamlets Labour Group has announced its leadership team for the coming year.

Newly elected Labour Group Leader Cllr Joshua Peck said:

‘Labour councillors have agreed a strong, dynamic leadership team to fight for Tower Hamlets and its residents. With the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government attacking the NHS, putting affordable housing out of reach of many local families and slashing public services, the Labour Party must be the frontline of defence. The team we have elected will campaign for local residents in the town hall, on our streets and in Westminster’.

‘This is certainly a team that is designed to offer the best to the people of Tower Hamlets,’ said Labour PR Guru, Councillor Shiria Khatun.

The East India and Lansbury Ward Councillor who was bought up in Brick Lane, and is an ex TV presenter added: ‘The coalition cuts are designed to hurt the most vulnerable members of our society. The impact of the cuts has crippled communities. There is so much anger at the negative effect Coalition decisions have had on communities.

Khatun, the Labour Spokesperson for ‘a cleaner and greener borough added:’ We will continue to strive for our communities, and through our collective efforts we hope to bring back the best for the people of Tower Hamlets.’

The Labour Spokespeople are:

Resources – Cllr Anwar Khan (Deputy Cllr Carlo Gibbs)
Adults health and wellbeing – Cllr Anna Lynch (Deputy Cllr Lesley Pavitt)
Children’s Services – Cllr Bill Turner (Deputy Cllr Amy Whitelock)
A cleaner and greener borough – Cllr Shiria Khatun (Deputy to be announced)
A safer borough – Cllr Kosru Uddin (Deputy to be announced)
Work and local economic growth – Cllr David Edgar (Deputy to be announced)
Housing, heritage and planning – Cllr Judith Gardiner (Deputy Cllr Helal Uddin)
Culture and creative industries – Cllr Denise Jones (Deputy Shahed Ali)

The Labour Group also agreed its nominations for the Chairs of Council committees and Overview and Scrutiny Leads:

Chair of Appeals – Cllr Bill Turner
Chair of Audit – Cllr Carlo Gibbs
Chair of Development/Strategic Development – Cllr Helal Abbas
Chair of General Purposes – Cllr Shiria Khatun
Chair of Human Resources – Cllr Abdul Mukit
Chair of Licensing – Cllr Carli Harper-Penman
Chair of Pensions – Cllr Anwar Khan
Chair of Overview and Scrutiny – Cllr Ann Jackson
Scrutiny Lead for Resources – Cllr Sirajul Islam
Scrutiny Lead for Health – Cllr Rachael Saunders
Scrutiny Lead for Communities, Localities and Culture – Cllr Zenith Rahman
Scrutiny Lead for Children and Adults – Cllr Amy Whitelock
Scrutiny Lead for Development and Renewal – Cllr Helal Uddin

After a successful year as Deputy Chair of Council, Cllr Anna Lynch was agreed to be the Group’s nomination for Olympic Ambassador.

Labour Group had earlier this week agreed to nominate Cllr Mizanur Rahman Chaudhury as Chair of Council, and Cllr Rajib Ahmed as Deputy Chair of Council.

Cllr Motin Uz-Zaman, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group said:

‘Our priority will be to make sure that residents have a strong voice standing up for them as this Conservative/Lib Dem government makes its attacks on the services they rely on. We need to make sure that they get value for money in difficult times and that the excellent services they came to expect under a Labour council and a Labour government continue’.