Re~Stirred Forum

Which Asian cllr most likely to get cabinet position?if any!

I don't have any names at my fingertips (although I am told that a solicitor who was elected in South Yardley in 2011 fancies himself) but the answer is whoever is most ready, willing and able. I am sure you know as well as anyone who that rules out.

KingB asked:

Well now, if one went on the front row in the scrum for the Ed Miliband & Albert Bore love-in in Victoria Square last week, the "old faces" were there and not the younger ones. Who gets the votes in for Labour? Try Aston's long serving Councillor Muhammad Afzal, add his extensive experience within the Council House and disregard an upset banana skin incident.

Thanks for reminding me. I'd forgotten the likes of Waseem Zaffar have been in a Cold War with Albert - not that he should the member for Lozells & East Handsworth should be let anywhere near responsibility anyway.

actually saw plenty of new faces including our own John O'Shea

also the first man Ed went to greet was Ali Ansar Khan

cue KingB

Dominator, the sucessful South Yardley Councillor in 2011 was Cllr. Nawaz Ali, whom I believe is an accountant, not a Solicitor.

In Hodge Hill Ward a Solicitor Cllr. Majid Mahmood was elected in 2011. He is not only Cabinet material he is also MP material. A young, very intelligent, capable and personable chap.

I feel he has a good chance of becoming a Scrutiny Chair, head of Licensing or as a minimum one of the new Constituency Executive Directors.

I would love to see him as a Cabinet Member but competition from the old guard will be strong for Cabinet Membership and only 6 available positions make it difficult.

Nechells Cllr. Tahir Ali may make it into Cabinet and with an outside chance Cllr. Shafique Shah.

...and in English what do these job titles actually mean? Who has come up with them?

If an elected member came up to you and said "I am the Council Cabinet member for the "Green, Safe and Smart City" they would either get scratched heads, or raucous laughter. Some people may be thinking on hearing that the aforesaid councillor has been abducted by little green men! Would they be in charge of running the refuse collections (Green), the street wardens (Safe) and the education service (Smart). Or will they arrive in their office at the Council House after the AGM next week and not have a clue what their responsibilites are?

Of course if the council really wanted to simplify it's structure it could have a:

• Education and Childrens Services Department
• Finance and Personnel Department
• Leisure and Local Services Department
• Social Services Department
• Housing and Communities Department
• Economic Development and Regeneration Department
• Transportation Department
• Environmental Services and Trading Standards Department

For this consultancy which should improve the efficiency of the council, by putting in place a structure that most taxpayers would understand - please could BCC make a cheque for several thousand pounds payable to Re~Stirred.com....

I personally think these changes are destined to end in tears as they undermine the financial control needed to deal with the difficult financial position.

cllr ansar Ali khan will always be seen as a bag carrier for mp Liam Byrne, ,he rates himself highly but pity nobody else does!

KINGB, leave off old mate, Cllr. Ansar Ali Khan is a long serving councillor that always gets a massive majority at election times has a great deal of experience and is twisting my arm as I write.

Cllr Afzaal (Aston) or Cllr Zaffar (Lozells and East Handsworth) most likely to get on cabinet...maybe both.

the lack of positions is the problem. As Bore will pick you can write off the likes of Wasim who supported Simon

Cllr. Afzal, I do not think he will get a cabinet position, though he will get some post in the new admin, Sir Albert has only two years to convince the electorate that it is in their best interests to keep voting Labour, if he selects the wrong people for cabinet positions then things could go very horribly wrong and people will suffer in the city.

It is shame that they cannot appoint a non councillor to a cabinet position in order to bring in some capability to get the city out of its financial mess.

KINGB, if I knew this Cllr, Shah you mention, I would tell him to keep well away from any Cabinet Position if he wishes to progress to national politics, as I feel any cabinet member in this administration that will have to push through more cuts and work with reduced funding, will be rightly accused of letting down the people of Birmingham.

For Cabinet I would suggest that Sir Albert picks the new younger members, Like Majid Mahmood, Bridgit Jones, John Cotton and James Mackie as they can afford to take the accusations of failing to deliver and pushing through cuts.

These Cabinet Positions are the Kiss of Death for a future political career, no money left in the bank?

If Neil Elkes is right this is stunning

Labour naming new #bcc cabinet. Am hearing relative newcomers Brigid Jones and James McKay, 1 yr each, are among the 6. Not official yet.

Ianrobo read the post above yours, Elkes might be right.

Brum cabinet line up:Tahir Ali gets development and jobs; Steve Bedser health; John Cotton social cohesion; Brigid Jones children & schools

Other Lab cabinet members: James McKay green issues; Stewart Stacey contracting

Grundy sacked! The piteous beauty of it. Exquisite.

And Bridgit Jones is hopelessly out of her depth. It's a disaster waiting to happen. Like these absurd 'cross department' cabinet members. Labour tried that in Lambeth in 1998. They ditched it in 2000. Disaster.

It's Brigid. But what is Albert thinking. I can't decide if he's appointed her as a joke or a test? It's certainly cruel. Here's two of her recent tweets

Child c.4yrs old singing about an electrify hybrid bus, on an electric hybrid bus. There is hope for climate change yet.

(in Birmingham) That awkward moment when you look up from phone on bus and realise you haven't first idea where you are. #thankgodforgps

Hopeless or worrying. Take your pick.

A glance at her twitter feed demonstrates that the new cabinet member for education urgently needs some remedial spelling lessons.

I was certainty surprised by Brigid's appointment. Its an hugely problematical post that's been created and some of Birmingham's most long-term residual problems are under her charge.

I'm delighted for Brigid. She is very able indeed and quite unprejudiced. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised, and whoever has the job it's like being in a coconut shy. But she's tough and can take that.
It seems normal twitter-speak. We're both old fogies Gareth that's the problem.

Has anyone got an actual link to a list? (and it may be worthy of a new thread)

"Definately"? Really?

I hope so because its going to be difficult to make any sort of impact on that brief. Not convinced personally.

Not in the quotes. You're not one of the 'twitterati' are you? I never imagined it.

As someone with bad finger co-ordination I mistype all the time.

Either your finger co-ordination is terrible or you have a very odd keyboard, because my 'a' and 'i' are at opposite ends. Face it: the new cabinet member for education can't spell 'definitely' (inter alia).