Brent Civic Centre
- Credit: Nathalie Raffray
A complaint accusing three Brent councillors of breaching the code of conduct by attending a foodbank has been rejected, with a report concluding the visit was to lend support rather than being a political stunt.
GLA election candidate and Dudden Hill representative Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Brent Council leader Cllr Muhammed Butt, Alperton representative Cllr Trupti Sangani and Harrow councillor Ajay Maru attended a surplus food market at Alperton Baptist Church, organised by Sewa Day, on January 9.
It’s tough out there for people and Covid-19 has exposed food poverty but proud to see organisations and people coming forward to help. @KitchenLondons have set up a new surplus food market at Alperton Baptist Church on Ealing Road @MAsgharButt2@AjayHMaru@SanganiTruptipic.twitter.com/pXhfoZ9NSE Cllr Krupesh Hirani for Brent and Harrow (@KrupeshHirani) January 12, 2021
The council said the budget setting had been a difficult process (Photo: Google Maps/Pixabay) Brent Council looks set to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent after its budget was approved by its cabinet. Senior councillors backed the proposals for the 12 months from April after acknowledging “tough decisions” had to be made in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. These include a proposed council tax increase of 4.99 per cent, with three per cent ringfenced for social care, and cuts of £3.4 million. Several roles at the council will be cut to contribute to this, while some children’s services will be integrated with those offered by health providers.
Cllr Anton Georgiou and Cllr Muhammed Butt (Photo: Newsquest/Brent Council) A Brent councillor has called for an investigation into his council leader’s behaviour after receiving an “unacceptable” response to his queries about the upcoming budget. Liberal Democrat councillor Anton Georgiou, who represents Alperton ward, wrote to Brent Council chief executive Carolyn Downs urging her to review the exchange he had with Cllr Muhammed Butt over the council’s finances. He argued the response he received could be seen to have broken the councillors’ code of conduct in relation to their ‘general obligations’ and could lead to a formal investigation by the monitoring officer.
Brent Civic Centre (Photo: Google Maps) A complaint against three Brent councillors who visited a community kitchen during lockdown was dismissed by the borough’s monitoring officer. Debra Norman found Brent Council leader Cllr Muhammed Butt, as well as his fellow Labour councillors Krupesh Hirani and Trupti Sangani, did not break the councillors’ code of conduct by attending an event at Alperton Baptist Church, in Ealing Road, Wembley, on January 9. Former Brent Council leader Paul Lorber requested an investigation into the incident – and called on the councillors in question to resign – on the basis it was irresponsible during a national lockdown.
Brent Council leader Cllr Muhammed Butt released a message earlier this month urging people to stay at home as much as possible (Photo: Brent Council) A former Brent Council leader called on three current councillors to resign after they attended a charity event during the national lockdown – though it has been dismissed by the local Labour Group as “political point scoring”. Paul Lorber accused Cllr Muhammed Butt, the current leader of Brent Council, of hypocrisy after he visited a community kitchen at Alperton Baptist Church, in Ealing Road, Wembley, on January 9. Cllr Butt was joined by fellow Brent councillors Trupti Sangani and Krupesh Hirani, as well as Harrow councillor Ajay Maru.