Who's who in Luton council's new executive

Council leader and Liberal Democrat Barnfield councillor Amjid Ali has shared the executive responsibilities among the coalition, which ended almost 20 years of a Labour administration in the town.

But ex-Liberal Democrat Barnfield councillor David Franks, who resigned from the Party recently to become a non-aligned Independent, has been overlooked.

A motion of no confidence in previous council leader and Labour Biscot councillor Tahmina Saleem led to a vote that she lost at an extraordinary council meeting.

The Liberal Democrats were backed by the Independent Alliance Group of breakaway Labour councillors, and other opposition councillors

Liberal Democrat deputy group leader and South councillor Steve Stephens is councillor Ali’s number two within the council chamber, while councillor Roche, who also has the housing portfolio, would deputise for the council leader in his absence on the executive.

Under the reorganisation, councillor Stephens has been appointed as the portfolio holder for waste, climate change and neighbourhood services, with Liberal Democrat Wigmore councillor Adrees Latif as executive member for sustainable development and highways.

Ex-Labour and now Independent Alliance Group Challney councillor Khtija Malik returns to the executive as portfolio holder for public health, having held the same post under her former Party.

After a stint chairing the council’s scrutiny children’s services review group, Liberal Democrat Vauxhall councillor Lee Bridgen becomes portfolio holder for children’s services, with Lib Dem Round Green councillor Gillian Fry as skills and education service lead.

Liberal Democrat Stopsley councillor Matt Fry is the new finance portfolio holder, while his Lib Dem ward colleague Richard Underwood takes over the adult social care portfolio, having previously chaired the scrutiny health and social care review group.

Independent Alliance Group Beech Hill councillor Rumi Chowdhury takes up the women, equalities and community safety portfolio, having left councillor Saleem’s executive this summer. She was appointed as Labour portfolio holder for adult social care and public health by councillor Saleem in May.

The final role was confirmed last night, (Tuesday, September 22) with former Labour deputy council leader and now Conservative Poets councillor Aslam Khan appointed as portfolio holder for regeneration and inclusive growth.

Councillor Saleem was elected to chair the overview and scrutiny board, with Liberal Democrat Round Green councillor Zahoor Ahmed and Conservative Bramingham councillor Aziz Ambia as her deputies.

Labour Central councillor Mohammed Hanif becomes the new chairman of the scrutiny finance review group. Labour High Town councillor Umme Ali will chair the scrutiny children’s services review group, while Labour Leagrave councillor Maria Lovell was elected to chair the scrutiny health and social care review group.

Councillor (Amjid) Ali told the local democracy service after the meeting: “We value and appreciate everything councillor Franks has done for the party during the past 43 years.

“The allocation of committee places was a procedural matter. We’re not prepared to establish a fair principle and then go against it when it suits us.

“Divisive politics is exactly what we’ve criticised Labour for during the past 20 years, and we can’t continue the same approach ourselves. Committee places will naturally change as the political balance of the council alters.”