There was a positive and also constructive meeting tonight on how to support the committee governance model and get rid of the Executive Mayor system in the forthcoming Newham Council democracy referendum in May. Check out and support “Newham for…Read more…
“Talking to the Fabians about committees”
On Saturday morning there was a virtual debate organised by Newham Fabians on “Participatory democracy”.
Local blogger Martin Warne spoke in favour of changing Newham’s governance from an Executive Mayor model to a “Committee model”. Next May th…Read more…
Newham Governance Referendum will be a choice between Keeping Executive Mayor or Moving to Committee model
Picture is from the virtual Newham Council meeting on Monday, where I was pleased that it was agreed that the future governance referendum of our borough, due to be held next year on 6 May 2021 will give residents the real choice between carrying…Read more…
Paid Mayoral advisors should not be also Officers of local Party: West Ham CLP AGM (Part 2)
This is a great “slow action” picture from last nights packed West Ham Labour AGM (part 2). Our MP Lyn Brown is giving her Parliamentary report and answering questions.
We ran out of time at our first AGM to conclude all business so had to resum…Read more…
Hackney Mayor Election 2016
Tonight I helped out in Lea Bridge ward, Hackney for the election campaign to select a new Executive Mayor for the Borough.
At the campaign headquarters, ward activists were really hospitable and appreciative to us for turning up and&n…Read more…
“It’s a man’s world” Mayoral Elections
Not sure that blaming trade unions for an Executive Mayor macho culture is fair? Especially in unions such as Unison whose membership, officers and activist base are predominately female but this article does makes some valid points.
“The Guardian’s Helen Pidd asks why mayoral elections,…Read more…
A two term limit for elected Mayors
Last Thursday at a very well attended meeting of my local Forest Gate North Branch Labour Party,
members voted overwhelmingly to support the below rule change.
There was a really good debate with a wide range of different views and arguments ex…Read more…
Torbay Council to have referendum on Executive Mayoral system
This is interesting to anyone concerned with local authority governance. According to this report just under 1,000 people in Torbay took part in a consultation process, where they rejected the mayoral system in support of a new committee system involv…Read more…
Overview & Scrunity “Call in” expenditure on Newham “Special Purpose Vehicle”
I was very pleased to hear this evening that members of Newham Council Overview & Scrutiny Committee had agreed to “call in” the Executive Mayor’s decision to spend up to £500,000 on developing a “Special Purpose Vehicle” (SPV) for the Newham Staff Pension fund without agreement that it…Read more…
“Alternative Financing Proposals for the Newham Pension Fund”
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…Read more…
West Ham “on the knocker” for John Biggs
Picture collage from yesterday of West Hammers (and a East Ham comrade) “on the knocker” for John Biggs as Labour Mayor for Tower Hamlets.
West Ham Labour Chair, Charlene McLean, led our team “assisted” by her campaign hardened 9 month old baby daught…Read more…
On the Knocker for John Biggs in Mile End
After the Regional UNISON agm on Saturday and while cycling home, I stopped off at the Tower Hamlets Labour Party HQ in Bethnal Green to help campaign for Labour Mayor candidate, John Biggs. I was asked if I minded going out with a canv…Read more…