Communities Secretary Steve Reed has taken the significant step of convening a meeting with government officials monitoring Tower Hamlets council, as serious concerns about the east London authority's governance continue to mount.
Persistent Problems Trigger Ministerial Intervention
The meeting comes after a team of government-commissioned inspectors published a damning report last November that uncovered what they described as a "toxic" and secretive culture dominated by the inner circle of the local mayor, Lutfur Rahman. Following this revelation, envoys were dispatched to oversee the council's operations.
It is understood that Reed plans to meet these envoys specifically to discuss their work progress and ascertain whether sufficient change has occurred within the council. The minister also seeks to determine what additional measures might be necessary to address the ongoing issues.
Controversial History and Current Challenges
Lutfur Rahman, who first became mayor in 2010 as an independent after previously serving as Labour leader of the council, has a controversial political history. In 2015, he was removed from office and banned for five years from standing for mayor after an election commissioner found him guilty of electoral fraud.
Despite this history, Rahman was re-elected in 2022 under the banner of his Aspire party, which now holds a small majority of councillors on the authority.
The planned meeting follows Reed's letter to the council expressing his dismay that two Tower Hamlets councillors—one current Aspire member and a former Aspire member now sitting as an independent—were seeking to become parliamentary candidates in Bangladesh.
Improvement Journey Faces Setbacks
In his letter, seen by the Guardian, Reed stated: "I am appalled that any councillor elected by local people to serve their interests would even consider abandoning that commitment to campaign in another country."
He expressed particular disappointment that this was occurring "while the council, with the support from my envoys, is on a significant improvement journey that requires a dedicated and fully engaged leadership to grip and deliver the necessary change."
An initial progress report by the three envoys published in July acknowledged some improvement steps but highlighted a perceived lack of cooperation from the mayor's office. The envoys noted: "We have not always felt that staff have prioritised making time for meetings with the envoys, and meeting some individuals has taken longer than it needs to."
Opposition councillors have raised multiple concerns about the council's operations in recent weeks. Labour councillor Marc Francis commented: "While there has been activity, there is little sign of any real improvement. Labour councillors continue to have serious concerns about the 'culture of patronage' and lack of evenhandedness in the town hall."
The monitoring team is expected to publish another report by the end of the year, ahead of elections across all London councils next May. However, Reed's decision to call the envoys in now indicates the level of concern about what appears to be insufficient progress.
A Tower Hamlets spokesperson responded: "The envoys keep the minister updated on the council's improvement journey and we continue to work in partnership with them to make further progress."
An Aspire spokesperson clarified regarding Sabina Khan's situation: "Sabina Khan has not been selected as a candidate to stand for election in Bangladesh. If she is selected as a candidate, she would of course be expected to resign, and if she did not stand down, the whip would be removed."
