Mayor John Biggs announces new cabinet

News desk
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Tower Hamlets: Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, today announced his new cabinet. The Mayor welcomed four new councillors to his cabinet in a shakeup of political responsibilities about who helps manage council services in a borough with over 300,000 residents. Councillor Asma Islam, Councillor Mufeedah Bustin, Councillor Eve Mc Quillan and Councillor Dan Tomlinson have been appointed to Cabinet. They were all elected in 2018 and have served as Mayoral Advisors.

For the first time, the Mayor has introduced job share portfolios so cabinet positions are now in line with modern employment practices. Councillors who are unable to devote the full amount of time necessary for a full Cabinet portfolio due to their personal circumstances, are no longer unfairly prevented from joining Cabinet. This also provides more easily for a development opportunity for new cabinet members.

Alongside the adoption of a maternity leave policy for councillors in 2018, the introduction of job share roles for Cabinet Members demonstrates Tower Hamlets’ commitment to embracing modern working practices, not just for staff, but also for elected members. This also helps to ensure councillors who face employment, childcare or caring or other barriers are not prevented from representing their community. Following the changes, the Cabinet is now a majority of women and BAME members.

The Mayor will shortly mark five years since he was first elected. In that time has brought the council from being under special measures with the government appointing commissioners, to restoring the reputation of the borough and focussing on delivering for residents.

John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “I’m delighted to announce my new cabinet, which now includes job share portfolios opening up being a cabinet member to a wider pool of talent. It’s important to me that we embrace modern working practices.

“It’s a difficult time in local government as we face the challenges of responding to coronavirus and I look forward to working with my cabinet to deliver for residents in Tower Hamlets.”

Ends

For more information about this release contact the London Borough of Tower Hamlets communications team on 020 7364 4389 or email communications@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

The job share will not increase the overall cost of Cabinet.
New Cabinet members:
Mayor John Biggs
Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, Youth and Equalities – Cllr Asma Begum
Deputy Mayor for Housing (Statutory Deputy Mayor) – Cllr Sirajul Islam
Deputy Mayor for Adults, Health and Wellbeing – Cllr Rachel Blake
Cabinet Member for Children and Schools – Cllr Danny Hassell
Cabinet Member for Work and Economic Growth – Cllr Motin Uz-Zaman
Cabinet Member for Resources and the Voluntary Sector – Cllr Candida Ronald
Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts and Brexit – Cllr Sabina Akhtar
Cabinet Member for Planning and Social Inclusion – Cllr Eve McQuillan (Job share)
Cllr Mufeedah Bustin (Job share)
Cabinet Member for Environment and Public Realm – Cllr Dan Tomlinson
(Job share) Cllr Asma Islam (Job share)