The cabinet

The leader and cabinet is the part of the council's structure which is responsible for preparing the strategies, budgets and plans for the council to consider, implementing and monitoring them when agreed and also taking major day-to-day decisions.

The cabinet is made up of the leader and nine other members of the council.

The Council Leader Councillor Lutfur Rahman and Deputy Leader Councillor Sirajul Islam head the cabinet.

The council leader's responsibilities are:

• Strategic leadership
• Community Plan/Strategic Plan/LAA
• Overall policy development and implementation
• Olympics
• Joined up working
• Tower Hamlets Partnership

Deputy Leader

Councillor Sirajul Islam

• Housing management
• Decent homes
• Communications
• Democracy/citizens
• Member learning and development
• Equalities and workforce to reflect the community
• Consultation and involvement
• Deputising for the Leader

The other Lead Members and their responsibilities:

Children’s Services

Councillor Clair Hawkins

• Early years and play
• Children looked after
• Children with disabilities and special needs
• School improvement
• Children’s centres
• Child protection
• Youth services
• Youth offending and youth justice

Cleaner, Safer, Greener

Councillor Abdal Ullah

• Waste and recycling
• Transport and parking
• Street scene
• Parks and open spaces
• Environmental health
• Community safety

Culture & Leisure

Councillor Rofique Uddin Ahmed

• Idea stores, libraries, lifelong learning
• Sport
• Leisure
• Museums and heritage
• Arts and events
• Cultural aspects of the Olympics

Housing & Development

Councillor Marc Francis

• Development
• Local Development Framework
• Strategic transport
• Housing development/strategy

Employment & Skills

Councillor Alibor Choudhury

• Skills improvement
• Economic development
• Employment initiatives
• Volunteering
• Business support

Health & Wellbeing

Councillor Anwara Ali

• Physically disabled adults
• Learning disabled adults
• Older people
• Mental health
• Supporting people
• Carers
• Public health
• Homelessness

Resources & Performance

Councillor Joshua Peck

• Finance
• Procurement
• IT and  e-government
• Performance
• Asset Management
• Value for money
• Risk management
• Customer access
• Human resources
• Audit
• Fair trade

Regeneration, Localisation and Community Partnerships

Councillor Ohid Ahmed

• Local management
• Third sector
• Strategic and regeneration partnerships
• Community empowerment
• Community cohesion
• Business liaison and partnership
• Business tourism

If these major decisions are to be discussed with council officers at a meeting of the cabinet, this will generally be open for the public to attend, except where personal or confidential matters are being discussed.

The cabinet has to make decisions that are in line with the council's overall strategy policies and budget. If it wishes to make a decision that is outside the strategy budget or policy framework, this must be referred to the council as a whole to decide.

Major decisions are defined as any that are likely to result in the council incurring expenditure or making savings which could have a significant effect on the budget for the service or function to which the decision relates.

A major decision could also be significant in its effect on communities living or working in an area of two or more wards or a major proposal in respect of a single ward area.

Details of all key decisions to be taken by the cabinet are included in the council's Forward Plan, a list of all such decisions published monthly. As well as through the web site, this is also available in libraries, Idea Stores, One Stop Shops.

Pid No: 658