Councillor Abdi Mohamed
Email: Abdi.Mohamed@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Council: Tower Hamlets
Council Profile: View on council website
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Positions, Voting Record & Activity Summary
Councillor Abdi Mohamed has demonstrated a consistent and growing commitment to public service across his council tenure, with a particularly pronounced and impactful presence in 2025. His work has consistently revolved around advocating for vulnerable residents, ensuring robust governance and scrutiny, and championing community safety.
Key Themes and Priorities: Across both years, Mohamed has prioritized the rights and well-being of vulnerable groups, including disabled individuals and young people. He has also shown a strong dedication to effective governance, fiscal responsibility, and improving council processes. Community safety has been a recurring and significant focus, culminating in his appointment as Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety.
Evolution of Focus: While 2024 saw Mohamed establishing his presence and engaging with key governance and financial oversight issues, 2025 marks a significant escalation in his activity and leadership. His role as Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety became more prominent, and he took on leadership positions in the Human Resources and Licensing Committees. His advocacy for vulnerable residents, particularly his vocal opposition to charges for disabled bays and blue badges, became a defining characteristic of his recent work. His engagement with budgetary matters also deepened, with detailed inquiries into capital programs and essential service funding.
Most Significant Contributions (Especially in Recent Years): In 2025, Councillor Mohamed's most significant contributions include his unwavering and vocal opposition to proposed charges for disabled bay and blue badge permits, framing them as an undue financial burden and a broken promise. His leadership as Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety involved actively shaping scrutiny plans, raising concerns about their effectiveness, and advocating for improved communication, metrics, and community engagement. He also played a crucial role in nominations for Scrutiny Sub-Committees and actively participated in the Licensing Committee, even volunteering to chair meetings. His detailed questioning on budgetary matters, particularly concerning capital programs and essential services, demonstrates a commitment to fiscal prudence and effective resource allocation.
Patterns and Consistent Areas of Interest: A consistent pattern throughout Mohamed's council service is his dedication to scrutinizing council operations and ensuring accountability. He consistently seeks detailed information and challenges proposals that he believes may negatively impact residents, especially vulnerable populations. His interest in youth services and child protection has been a steady theme, as has his engagement with HR matters, reflecting a broader concern for the well-being of both residents and council staff. His role as a lay GMB member further highlights his commitment to employee rights and welfare.
In summary, Councillor Abdi Mohamed has evolved from an active participant to a prominent leader within the council, particularly in 2025. His focus on vulnerable residents, community safety, and robust scrutiny has solidified, and his recent contributions demonstrate a proactive and impactful approach to his responsibilities.
Yearly Activity Timeline
Throughout 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was a consistently active participant in council proceedings, with documented involvement in 11 months. His primary areas of focus included scrutiny, community safety, and the rights of vulnerable residents, particularly disabled individuals and young people. He was appointed Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety and played a key role in nominations for various Scrutiny Sub-Committees. A significant and recurring theme was his strong opposition to proposed charges for disabled bay and blue badge permits, which he argued placed an undue financial burden on disabled residents during a cost of living crisis, calling them a political choice
and a broken promise.
Mohamed also demonstrated a keen interest in budgetary matters, seeking detailed clarifications on capital programs, council-built homes, and funding for essential services like school uniforms and the Home Energy Advice Programme. He consistently advocated for robust youth services and child protection, emphasizing interdepartmental collaboration. His contributions to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee included raising concerns about the scrutiny improvement plan, questioning its communication, metrics, and community engagement strategies, and advocating for long-term sustainability.
In the Licensing Committee, he actively questioned applicants on noise mitigation and capacity, and volunteered to chair meetings. He also engaged with a petitioner on the housing system and expressed gratitude for their input. As a lay GMB member, he participated in discussions on HR matters, including early retirement schemes and staff burnout. He also declared interests as a trustee of Generation Rent and highlighted his upcoming reoffending review focusing on the 18-25 age group.
Key themes across his activities include: advocating for vulnerable groups, ensuring fiscal responsibility and effective resource allocation, improving council processes and scrutiny, and championing community safety initiatives. He was appointed to the Human Resources Committee and the Licensing Committee/Licensing Regulatory Committee, succeeding Councillor Mohammad Chowdhury in both roles.
Monthly Activity in 2025
During December 2025, Abdi Mohamed was listed as an apology for the Human Resources Committee meeting on December 22nd. Despite his absence, he declared himself a lay GMB member and proposed the exclusion of the press and public from the remainder of the meeting to discuss Section Two business. There is no record of his participation in the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on December 11th.
Meetings in December 2025
Human Resources Committee - Monday, 22nd December, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 22 December 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was listed as an apology for the meeting. However, the reports pack indicates he declared he was a lay GMB member and proposed the exclusion of the press and public from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of Section Two business.
Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 11th December, 2025 2.30 p.m. - 11 December 2025
There is no record of Abdi Mohamed saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on 2025-12-11.
During November 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed actively participated in council meetings, primarily by chairing two Licensing Sub Committee meetings on November 4th and November 13th. In his opening remarks for the November 4th meeting, he stated,
He managed the proceedings of these meetings, introducing procedures, facilitating discussions, and asking clarifying questions to applicants and objectors. On November 25th, during the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting, Councillor Mohamed declared an interest as a trustee of Generation Rent regarding item 7.1. He also announced that his reoffending review, focusing on the 18-25 age group, would be held on December 1st, 2025. There is no record of his specific contributions during the Council meeting on November 19th.
Good evening and welcome to the licensing subcommittee. I am councillor Abdi Mohamed. I am going to be chairing the licensing subcommittee tonight.
Meetings in November 2025
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 25th November, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 25 November 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed declared an interest in item 7.1 of the meeting as he is a trustee of Generation Rent. He also stated that his reoffending review would focus on the 18-25 age group and would take place on Monday, 1 December 2025.
Council - Wednesday, 19th November, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 19 November 2025
There is no record of Abdi Mohamed saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Council meeting on 2025-11-19.
Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 13th November, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 13 November 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed chaired the Licensing Subcommittee meeting on November 13th, 2025. He opened the meeting, introduced himself as chair, and outlined the procedures, including asking members and officers to introduce themselves and declare any disclosable pecuniary interests. He noted that one of the two applications had been resolved prior to the meeting and directed the committee to proceed with application number two. Throughout the meeting, he managed the proceedings by inviting individuals to introduce reports, make representations, and ask questions. He specifically asked clarifying questions to the applicant, objectors, and other parties, focusing on concerns related to the premises itself rather than solely the applicant's company. He also facilitated a discussion on the applicant's understanding of the proceedings and concluded the meeting.
Licensing Sub Committee - Tuesday, 4th November, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 4 November 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed chaired the Licensing Sub Committee meeting. He opened the meeting by welcoming attendees and introducing himself as the chair for the evening. > Good evening and welcome to the licensing subcommittee. I am councillor Abdi Mohamed. I am going to be chairing the licensing subcommittee tonight.
During the October 8th, 2025 council meeting, Councillor Abdi Mohamed engaged with a petitioner regarding the Tower Hamlets housing system. He expressed gratitude for the petition and sought further information by asking the petitioner if their experience was representative of other residents and practitioners.
Meetings in October 2025
Council - Wednesday, 8th October, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 8 October 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed thanked the petitioner for bringing forward their petition regarding the Tower Hamlets housing system. He then asked the petitioner if their experience was similar to that of other residents and requested more details about the experiences of other practitioners with the housing system.
During September 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was actively involved in council meetings, particularly the Human Resources Committee on September 1st. In this meeting, he declared himself a lay GMB member and engaged in discussions regarding Awab's law,
the path to a C3 rating, and interim senior recruitment costs and timelines. He also expressed positive sentiment about the Early Retirement/Voluntary Redundancy scheme's savings and raised concerns about staff burnout and motivation. Additionally, he proposed Councillor Amina Ali to second a motion for an exempt session. On September 15th, during the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting, Councillor Mohamed questioned the inclusivity of the Youth Justice Service, referencing a young person's court experience and inquiring about benchmarking against other boroughs. He was also present as a member of the Licensing Sub Committee on September 4th, the Appointment Sub-Committee on September 15th, and the Licensing Regulatory Committee on September 18th, though no specific actions or statements were recorded for him in these meetings.
Meetings in September 2025
Licensing Regulatory Committee - Thursday, 18th September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 18 September 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was in attendance virtually at the Licensing Regulatory Committee meeting on 3rd June 2025. There is no record of him speaking or taking any action during this meeting.
Interviews for the Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement, Appointment Sub-Committee - Monday, 15th September, 2025 10.15 a.m. - 15 September 2025
Abdi Mohamed was present at the meeting as a member of the Appointment Sub-Committee. No specific statements or actions were recorded for him in the minutes.
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 15th September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 15 September 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed, representing Bow East (Labour Party), inquired about the inclusivity of the Youth Justice Service. He referenced a recent court session experience of a young person and asked how confident the committee was in the inclusivity of the services provided to young people. He also questioned how the service is benchmarked against other boroughs to ensure all possible measures are being taken to address relevant issues.
Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 4th September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 4 September 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was present as a member of the Licensing Sub Committee. There is no record of him speaking or taking any action during the meeting.
Human Resources Committee - Monday, 1st September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 1 September 2025
During the Human Resources Committee meeting on September 1st, 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed declared himself a lay GMB member during the declarations of interests. He actively participated in discussions, asking questions about Awab's law
and the path to a C3 rating, as well as the costs and timeline for interim senior recruitment. Councillor Mohamed also commented positively on the Early Retirement/Voluntary Redundancy scheme, noting that savings were on track. He further raised concerns about staff burnout and motivation. Additionally, he proposed Councillor Amina Ali to second the motion to enter an exempt session for the Employee Relations Casework and Policy Quarterly Review.
During July 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was appointed as a Member of the Human Resources Committee and the Licensing Committee/Licensing Regulatory Committee, replacing Councillor Mohammad Chowdhury in both roles. In a Licensing Sub Committee meeting, he actively questioned an applicant regarding mitigation strategies for noise, specifically inquiring about measures beyond extra glazing and how potential late-evening noise from patrons waiting outside would be addressed. While listed as a member of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and attending the Appointment Sub-Committee meeting virtually, there is no record of him speaking or taking specific actions during these latter two meetings.
Meetings in July 2025
Longlisting for Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement, Appointment Sub-Committee - Tuesday, 29th July, 2025 6.00 p.m. - 29 July 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed attended the Appointment Sub-Committee meeting virtually. There is no record of him making any statements or taking any actions during the meeting.
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 21st July, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 21 July 2025
Abdi Mohamed was listed as a member of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for the meeting on 2025-07-21. However, the provided documents do not contain any record of him saying or doing anything specific during this meeting.
Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 17th July, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 17 July 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed inquired about the applicant's mitigation strategies, specifically asking for details on measures beyond the proposed extra glazing. He also raised concerns about potential noise issues from people waiting outside to be seated, asking how the applicant would mitigate this, particularly late in the evening.
Council - Wednesday, 16th July, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 16 July 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was appointed as a Member of the Human Resources Committee and the Licensing Committee/Licensing Regulatory Committee. He replaced Councillor Mohammad Chowdhury in both of these roles.
During June 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was actively involved in council meetings, particularly with the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. He played a significant role in nominations for various Scrutiny Sub-Committees, seconding nominations for the Health and Adults, and Environment and Climate Emergency Sub-Committees, and nominating councillors for the Housing and Regeneration, and Finance and Resources Sub-Committees. He was elected as the Scrutiny Lead of Community Safety for the 2025/26 municipal year. In this capacity, he presented a report on the hate crime reporting journey in Tower Hamlets, emphasizing the importance of trust, visibility, accountability, and consistent actions. He highlighted recommendations such as expanding third-party reporting centers and improving training, stating,
He also discussed the reporting app, digital inclusion, and the collaborative nature of the report. In the Licensing Committee, he confirmed his ability to hear the Chair multiple times and volunteered to act as a chair for a meeting. He also served as a member of the Employee Appeals Sub Committee.
As scrutiny lead for community safety, I'm proud to present this important report on the hate crime reporting journey in Tell Hamlets. This review comes at a crucial time, a time when we take bold steps to ensure that hate crime is reported and addressed in our borough.
Meetings in June 2025
Employee Appeals Sub Committee - Monday, 16th June, 2025 6.00 p.m. - 16 June 2025
Abdi Mohamed was a member of the Employee Appeals Sub Committee during the meeting on June 16th, 2025. No specific statements or actions were recorded for him in the provided documents.
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 11th June, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 11 June 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was a key presenter at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on June 11, 2025, delivering a report on the hate crime reporting journey in Tower Hamlets. He emphasized the importance of trust, visibility, accountability, and consistent actions, outlining recommendations such as expanding third-party reporting centers and improving training. He stated, > As scrutiny lead for community safety, I'm proud to present this important report on the hate crime reporting journey in Tell Hamlets. This review comes at a crucial time, a time when we take bold steps to ensure that hate crime is reported and addressed in our borough.
He also highlighted that the report sets out a series of practical recommendations that help move us forward.
Mohamed actively responded to questions from other councillors, discussing the reporting app, digital inclusion, and the distinction between recommendations and committed actions. He noted, > In terms of the app and the digital inclusion plan, I think it's a really good point. So the app is part of the kind of conversation we had.
He also engaged in discussions about building trust between residents and the police, suggesting that the council's community safety team, being distinct from the police, plays a crucial role as a bridge. He also clarified inaccuracies in previous meeting minutes regarding his vote and a councillor's name. Mohamed acknowledged the collaborative nature of the report, stating, > This is one of these times where it's been apolitical. It's actually a chance for ONS to really work collegially and really closely with the executive. And it's been, I think, well received.
Licensing Committee - Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025 7.30 p.m. - 3 June 2025
During the Licensing Committee meeting on June 3rd, 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed confirmed his ability to hear the Chair multiple times, stating, Yes, I can hear you, Chair.
He also confirmed he could Clearly. Yes, Chair, I can hear you.
Additionally, Councillor Mohamed volunteered to act as a chair for a meeting, saying, I'm happy to volunteer, Chair.
Rearranged from 20 May 2025, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 2nd June, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 2 June 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was actively involved in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on June 2nd, 2025. He played a key role in nominations for various Scrutiny Sub-Committees, seconding Councillor Amy Lee for Lead Member of the Health and Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee and Councillor James King for Scrutiny Lead Member for Environment and Climate Emergency. He also nominated Councillor Asma Islam for the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Sub-Committee and Councillor James King for Scrutiny Lead Member for Finance and Resources. Furthermore, Councillor Mohamed was elected as the Scrutiny Lead of Community Safety for the 2025/26 municipal year. In his capacity as Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety, he provided an update on the ongoing tackling hate crime review, stating that it would be presented at a future meeting.
During May 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was appointed to two committees: the Human Resources Committee and the Licensing Committee/Licensing Regulatory Committee. In both instances, he succeeded Councillor Mohammad Chowdhury. No specific actions or statements from Abdi Mohamed were recorded during the Human Resources Committee meeting on May 22nd.
Meetings in May 2025
Human Resources Committee - Thursday, 22nd May, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 22 May 2025
There is no record of Abdi Mohamed saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Human Resources Committee meeting on 2025-05-22.
Annual Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 14th May, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 14 May 2025
During the Annual Council Meeting on May 14th, 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was appointed as a Member of the Human Resources Committee and the Licensing Committee/Licensing Regulatory Committee. In both appointments, he replaced Councillor Mohammad Chowdhury.
During April 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed's activities included voting on a Budget Motion and addressing procedural matters. In a Council meeting on April 2nd, he voted in favour of a Labour group amendment and against the main Budget Motion. Separately, during an Appointments Sub Committee meeting on April 2nd, he raised concerns about the late distribution of a supplementary agenda, requesting that officers ensure future supplementary agendas are published with more advance notice for members.
Meetings in April 2025
Interviews for the post of Director of Homelessness and Housing Options, Appointments Sub Committee - Tuesday, 8th April, 2025 10.00 a.m. - 8 April 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was a member of the Appointments Sub Committee for the meeting on April 8, 2025. However, the available documents do not indicate any specific statements or actions taken by him during the meeting.
Interviews for the post of Director of Regeneration, Housing Supply and Assets, Appointments Sub Committee - Wednesday, 2nd April, 2025 10.00 a.m. - 2 April 2025
During the Appointments Sub Committee meeting on Wednesday, 5 March 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed voiced concerns about the late distribution of a supplementary agenda. He requested that officers ensure future supplementary agendas are published with more advance notice for members.
Council - Wednesday, 2nd April, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 2 April 2025
During the Council meeting on 26 February 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed voted in favour of the Labour group amendment and against the main Budget Motion.
During March 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed actively participated in two council meetings. On March 5th, he raised a concern about the late distribution of the supplementary agenda for the Appointments Sub Committee, requesting more timely provision of future agendas. Later, on March 25th, he expressed real concerns
regarding the scrutiny improvement plan at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. His specific criticisms focused on the communication plan, the validity of training completion metrics (calling them vanity metrics
), and community engagement. He highlighted his personal experiences as a scrutiny lead where he felt unsupported in developing community plans and undertaking reviews, stating his experience was worlds apart
from the improvement plan. Councillor Mohamed also inquired about the long-term sustainability of the improvement plan beyond the initial three-year period, asking for steps to ensure it benefits the council's future. He further emphasized the need for a bold exit strategy
for envoys and council resilience, and questioned the sufficiency of the ยฃ6.1 million allocation for a transformational program.
Meetings in March 2025
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 25th March, 2025 5.30 p.m. - 25 March 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed expressed significant concerns regarding the scrutiny improvement plan, specifically citing issues with the communication plan, training completion metrics, and community engagement. He stated:
I know I appreciate we've discussed it in the pre-meet, but formally, just for the record, I do have real concerns around this. I think I've raised three particular areas. 1.2 around the communication plan. I'm a scrutin leader for community safety. I've not been engaged or supported around a community plan. 2.1, training shows is 100% complete in terms of training. I've been involved for a few months now, had no support in terms of training. And I think it's just worth echoing what Councillor Lee said. Some of this is very much a vanity metric, and I'm not quite sure that there is some poking that needs to be done here. And in terms of 6.1, community engagement made such suggestions in my role, undertaking a review of hate crime in the borough, was told there was no capacity, there was no support, so was rejected by officers being able to be supported in that. So, again, my experience as a scrutin lead, compared to this improvement plan, it's worlds apart, so I just think I want to note it.
He also requested that the role of Overview and Scrutiny (OLS) be explicitly included in the reporting structure and inquired about the long-term sustainability of the improvement plan beyond the initial three-year period, asking:
I wonder if you can talk more about that and the steps you're taking to ensure that this is just not only a three-year plan but this is something for a telehealth council's future.
Councillor Mohamed further stressed the importance of a bold exit strategy for the envoys and council resilience. Additionally, he sought a detailed breakdown of the ยฃ6.1 million allocated, questioning its sufficiency for a transformational program.
Shortlisting for the Post of Director of Homelessness and Housing Options, Appointments Sub Committee - Wednesday, 5th March, 2025 4.00 p.m. - 5 March 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was present at the Appointments Sub Committee meeting on March 5th, 2025. However, the minutes do not record any specific statements or actions attributed to him.
Shortlisting for the Post of Director of Regeneration, Housing Supply and Assets, Appointments Sub Committee - Wednesday, 5th March, 2025 4.30 p.m. - 5 March 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed raised a concern regarding the late publication of the supplementary agenda for the meeting. He requested that officers ensure future agendas are provided with more notice to Members.
During February 2025, Abdi Mohamed was an active participant in council meetings, focusing on budgetary matters, youth services, child protection, and the rights of disabled residents. In the Reserve Budget Meeting, he sought detailed clarifications on the capital program's stability, delays in council-built home schemes, funding for the Home Energy Advice Programme, and the allocation of funds for repairs and school uniforms. He also questioned the management of unspent capital funds. At the Human Resources Committee, Mohamed inquired about investments in youth services and child protection, interdepartmental collaboration, the employee relations casework policy, and representation for ungrouped members. In a significant intervention at the Budget Meeting, he strongly opposed proposed charges for blue badges and personal disabled bays, arguing that the administration must think again
and that a broken promise is a broken promise.
He characterized these charges as a political choice
that places an additional burden on disabled people who are already dealing with the higher living costs,
emphasizing that these parking services are necessities.
Mohamed criticized the poor planning
behind the decision, noting the significant impact on blue badge holders and those with personalized bays, and urged the mayor to reconsider and for members to call out and oppose this extra charge being levelled against disabled residents of Tower Hamlets.
Meetings in February 2025
Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 27th February, 2025 2.00 p.m. - 27 February 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was present at the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on February 27, 2025. The transcript lists him as being in attendance.
Budget Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 26th February, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 26 February 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed spoke in opposition to the proposed charges for blue badges and personal disabled bays, stating that the administration must think again
and that a broken promise is a broken promise.
He argued that these charges are a political choice
that adds an additional burden on disabled people who are already dealing with the higher living costs,
and that these parking services are necessities
not luxuries or conveniences.
Mohamed also criticized the poor planning
behind the decision, highlighting that nearly 40% of blue badge holders and 30% of those with personalized bays would be affected by the new charges this year. He concluded by urging the mayor to reconsider and for members to call out and oppose this extra charge being levelled against disabled residents of Tower Hamlets.
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 18th February, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 18 February 2025
There is no record of Abdi Mohamed saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2025-02-18.
Human Resources Committee - Wednesday, 5th February, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 5 February 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed actively participated in the Human Resources Committee meeting on February 5th, 2025. He raised questions concerning investment and projects for youth services and child protection, probing the council's interdepartmental collaboration on child protection, particularly between housing and social care. He also sought clarification on the employee relations casework policy, specifically regarding the subcommittee's role and the implications of exit agreements. Additionally, Councillor Mohamed inquired about the appointment subcommittee and the representation of ungrouped members.
Reserve Budget Meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 4th February, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 4 February 2025
During the Reserve Budget Meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on February 4th, 2025, Abdi Mohamed actively engaged by posing several detailed questions. He sought clarification on the capital programme, specifically its four-year framework and its vulnerability to administrative changes. Mohamed also inquired about delays in council-built home schemes, questioning the decision-making process and the responsibility assigned to members versus officers. He delved into financial specifics, asking about the funding mechanism for the Home Energy Advice Programme via the carbon offset fund and any associated risks. Furthermore, he raised concerns about the prioritization of the repair service, the imposition of budget caps for repairs, and the allocation of funds for school uniforms. Finally, he questioned the management of unspent funds within the capital programme.
During January 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was appointed Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee's Budget Meeting on January 14th. In this capacity, he voiced strong opposition to new charges for disabled bay and blue badge permits, highlighting the financial strain on disabled individuals during the cost of living crisis and noting that other boroughs do not implement such fees. He also expressed concern about a proposed ยฃ1.1 million saving related to the police, questioning its necessity and potential impact on community safety, particularly in light of existing anti-social behavior issues. He suggested reallocating funds towards innovation or restructuring community safety. At the Licensing Committee meeting on January 16th, Councillor Mohamed inquired about the licensing team's capacity and the reasons for increased issues in specific wards (Bow East, Spitalfields, and Banglatown). He questioned whether businesses had been consulted on their challenges and proposed that cumulative impact zones and the rise of Hackney Wick as a night-time hotspot might be contributing factors to these ward-specific problems.
Meetings in January 2025
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 28th January, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 28 January 2025
Abdi Mohamed commended the 187% membership growth but raised concerns about maintaining service quality at aging leisure centers, specifically mentioning York Hall. He inquired about how the council ensures quality in a competitive market, whether stress testing is conducted on center capacity to handle growth, and the methods used for monitoring service quality, such as tracking complaints and compliments or conducting annual surveys to establish a baseline.
Licensing Committee - Thursday, 16th January, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 23 January 2025
Councillor Abdi Mohamed raised concerns about the capacity of the licensing team and sought to understand the reasons behind a higher number of issues in specific wards, namely Bow East, Spitalfields, and Banglatown. He questioned whether businesses had been consulted on their difficulties, suggesting that such analysis could improve the team's efficiency for core tasks. Councillor Mohamed also proposed potential explanations for the ward-specific issues, including cumulative impact zones and the emergence of Hackney Wick as a night-time hotspot.
Council - Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 22 January 2025
There is no record of Abdi Mohamed saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Council meeting on 2025-01-22.
Budget Meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 14th January, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 14 January 2025
During the Budget Meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on January 14th, 2025, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was appointed as the Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety. He also raised significant concerns regarding new charges for disabled bay and blue badge permits, emphasizing the potential hardship for disabled individuals during the cost of living crisis and noting that neighboring boroughs do not impose such fees. Councillor Mohamed urged the council to reconsider this decision. Furthermore, he questioned the ยฃ1.1 million savings proposal related to the police, expressing apprehension about its impact on community safety, especially given ongoing issues with anti-social behavior. He inquired if the full saving was essential and if portions could be reallocated to innovation or community safety restructuring.
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was a visible and active participant in council proceedings throughout the latter part of 2024. He joined the Licensing Committee in October and quickly engaged in discussions. In November, he raised pertinent questions about the emotional and financial impacts of a proposed PSPO and was nominated as Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety. His December activities demonstrated a deep engagement with governance and financial oversight. He questioned the adequacy of employee casework assurances, sought clarity on cost-cutting measures and the ERVR program, and expressed concerns about dismissal cases, advocating for learning from past incidents. As Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety, he emphasized the importance of strong governance and due process, stating,
One of the things that the best value identifies is kind of weak governance, or lack of governance, and the lack of due process. So I wonder if you could speak briefly about some of the lessons that we can learn, how you strengthened that due process.
He also underscored the critical role of the committee's independence:
Just coming to my colleague here, the sovereignty and the independence of the ONS, the duties they discharge in oversight and scrutinising the executive and the mayor is so important, it's inherent in the democratic process.
Beyond verbal contributions, he engaged in preparatory work for community safety scrutiny, including meetings with officers and planning engagement with key personnel.
Monthly Activity in 2024
During December 2024, Abdi Mohamed was actively involved in two council meetings. In the Human Resources Committee meeting on December 12th, he questioned the adequacy of assurances regarding employee casework and policy review, and sought clearer information on corporate directorates and their departmental structures. He also inquired about the rationale behind cost-cutting measures, the expected savings from the ERVR program (beyond the current year), and a breakdown of ERVR payouts versus pension contributions. Mohamed expressed concern about dismissal cases involving gross misconduct and fraud, suggesting the council learn from these to prevent future occurrences and proposing a closed session or training on the matter. He also requested data on the average tenure of interim positions in Tower Hamlets over the past two years to assess suitability and compare with other councils.
In the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on December 17th, as Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety, Mohamed emphasized the importance of strong governance and due process, asking,
One of the things that the best value identifies is kind of weak governance, or lack of governance, and the lack of due process. So I wonder if you could speak briefly about some of the lessons that we can learn, how you strengthened that due process.
He also highlighted the critical role of the committee's sovereignty and independence, stating,
Just coming to my colleague here, the sovereignty and the independence of the ONS, the duties they discharge in oversight and scrutinising the executive and the mayor is so important, it's inherent in the democratic process.
Beyond his verbal contributions, Mohamed undertook preparatory work for the Community Safety scrutiny area, including meetings with officers and planning engagement with key personnel to define the scope of a challenge session.
Meetings in December 2024
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 17th December, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 17 December 2024
Councillor Abdi Mohamed, Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety, actively engaged in discussions and preparatory work related to his portfolio. He highlighted the importance of strong governance and due process, drawing parallels with Middlesbrough's directly elected mayor system and referencing his own experience with late committee papers. He stated,
One of the things that the best value identifies is kind of weak governance, or lack of governance, and the lack of due process. So I wonder if you could speak briefly about some of the lessons that we can learn, how you strengthened that due process.
He also emphasized the critical role of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's sovereignty and independence in the democratic process, encouraging cabinet members to participate in scrutiny. He said,
Just coming to my colleague here, the sovereignty and the independence of the ONS, the duties they discharge in oversight and scrutinising the executive and the mayor is so important, it's inherent in the democratic process.
In addition to his verbal contributions, Councillor Mohamed undertook several preparatory actions for the Community Safety scrutiny area, including introductory meetings with supporting officers, arranging discussions with the corporate director of communities and the cabinet member for Community Safety, and planning to engage with strategy and policy officers to define the scope of a challenge session.
Human Resources Committee - Thursday, 12th December, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 12 December 2024
Abdi Mohamed actively participated in the Human Resources Committee meeting on December 12, 2024. He raised a point about an action log from the previous meeting concerning employee casework and policy review, questioning the adequacy of the assurance received.
Mohamed also provided feedback on the corporate directors' update, noting the difficulty in engaging with the information without a verbal presentation and requesting a clearer scope of directorates and their departments for future meetings. He inquired about the rationale behind cost-cutting or efficiency measures, seeking to understand their origins.
Further, he asked for clarification on the average length of interim positions within Tower Hamlets, suggesting a two-year timeframe for analysis to establish a trajectory. He also sought information on the total expected savings from the ERVR program, not just for the current year, and asked for a breakdown of ERVR payouts versus pension contributions, as well as the allocation of savings between corporate and departmental levels.
Mohamed expressed concern regarding dismissal cases, particularly those involving gross misconduct and fraud, emphasizing the need for the council to learn from these protracted processes to prevent future occurrences. He suggested the possibility of a closed session or training for the committee or all councillors on this learning. He also inquired about the average length of an interim in Tower Hamlets, requesting data for the past two years to understand tenure trajectories and the suitability of interim candidates, referencing similar councils like Newham for comparison.
During November 2024, Councillor Abdi Mohamed actively participated in council meetings. In the meeting on November 20th, he raised important questions regarding the proposed PSPO, specifically inquiring about its emotional impact on residents and their dogs, as well as the financial implications of its enforcement. Later, on November 26th, Councillor Mohamed was nominated for the role of Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety.
Meetings in November 2024
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 26th November, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 26 November 2024
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was nominated for the role of Scrutiny Lead for Community Safety.
Council - Wednesday, 20th November, 2024 7.00 p.m. - 20 November 2024
Councillor Abdi Mohamed inquired about the emotional impact of the proposed PSPO on residents and their dogs, as well as the financial implications of its enforcement.
In October 2024, Councillor Abdi Mohamed was welcomed to the Licensing Committee meeting on October 22nd. The Chair acknowledged seeing him at overview and scrutiny and expressed anticipation for his contributions to the committee.
Meetings in October 2024
Licensing Committee - Tuesday, 22nd October, 2024 6.00 p.m. - 22 October 2024
Councillor Abdi Mohamed was welcomed to the Licensing Committee meeting by the Chair, Peter Golds. The Chair noted that he had seen Councillor Mohamed at overview and scrutiny and looked forward to his contributions to the committee.
Activity Timeline
Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.
64 meetings ยท Page 11 of 13
Licensing Committee - Thursday, 16th January, 2025 6.30 p.m.
The Licensing Committee received a report on the outcomes of late-night inspections and enforcement visits to licensed premises. The committee noted the report and no decisions were made.
Council - Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025 7.00 p.m.
The meeting started with a tribute to former Councillor Ray Gibson, who passed away at the end of 2024. The Council then received a presentation from pupils at St John's School, Bethnal Green, who sang to celebrate the Council's recent Ofsted rating for Children's Services. The Council formally noted the 'outstanding' rating, and discussed the improvements that have taken place in the service since it was rated as 'inadequate' in 2017.
Budget Meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 14th January, 2025 6.30 p.m.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the proposed Budget Report 2025-26 and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2025-28 and the proposed Fees and Charges for 2025-26. The committee agreed to make a series of recommendations and requests for further information.
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 17th December, 2024 6.30 p.m.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss a range of issues, including the Best Value Inspection, flood risk management, the strategic performance and delivery report, budget monitoring and an update on the home care procurement process. The committee noted all of the updates, except the home care procurement update, where a decision was made to move into a private session to discuss the issues further.
Human Resources Committee - Thursday, 12th December, 2024 6.30 p.m.
The committee noted the reports on the 2023/24 Early Retirement and Voluntary Redundancy scheme, the update on senior recruitment, and the quarterly review of employee relations casework. The committee also noted the proportionality calculations for the membership of the Appointments Sub-Committee and agreed to amend the membership arrangements to reflect them.
Decisions from Meetings
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Summary
Meetings Attended: 64
Average per Month: 3.6
Decisions Recorded: 0