Agenda item
To appoint a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor
- Meeting of Annual Council Meeting, Council, Thursday 29 April 2021 2.00 pm (Item 4.)
- View the background to item 4.
An intimation will be received from the Mayor regarding the appointment of a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor, in accordance with Standing Order 27(b).
Decision:
Councillor Abdi Aden was appointed to serve as Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Brent for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.
Minutes:
Councillor Colacicco, as newly appointed Mayor, thanked members for her nomination and appointment as Mayor. She then announced that she had appointed Councillor Abdi Aden to serve as Deputy Mayor for the 2021/2022 Municipal Year.
Councillor Colacicco then formally returned thanks for her appointment and began by commenting on her pride in being nominated as Mayor and expressing gratitude to her predecessor Councillor Ezeajughi for his outstanding work across the borough during his two years as Mayor, which she pointed out would be difficult to follow. She also congratulated Councillor Aden on his appointment as Deputy Mayor and thanked all members for their faith in appointing her to take on the role as first citizen of the borough.
The Mayor then went on to share some information about her background. She explained that she was the daughter of Italian immigrants who had moved to the country in the 1960s. She studied Psychology at City University and had then spent the 1980s extensively travelling on business, where she had developed her fascination for other cultures. Having settled down to married life and having two children, she had gradually became more interested in the growing environmental movement. Following a period as a Friends of the Earth activist she then had the honour and privilege to be elected as a councillor for Mapesbury ward in 2014.
Whilst commenting on what she felt her parents would have made of her appointment as Mayor, Councillor Colacicco emphasised the importance of the role and of councillors in general. Recognising the difference they could make in representing their local communities, she encouraged residents to make contact with their local councillors and to get involved whenever possible.
Councillor Colacicco then outlined her aims for her Mayoralty. She hoped to help Brent get the recognition it deserved, and to encourage everyone to make small changes to their lifestyles, including cutting their carbon footprint. Her overall message would be that small change added up, and her mantra would be that Brent is best.
Describing Brent as a melting pot full interesting variety and complex contradictions Councillor Colacicco went on to reflect on some of these. Referring to the report commissioned by the Council on poverty she highlighted the example of residents having to pay for the costs of inner city life yet at the same time living on a suburban wage. She also highlighted the fact the Borough was home to the world famous Wembley Stadium at the centre of the £25b football industry but with one third of households in Brent some way dependant on the welfare system. Whilst supporting the delivery of thousands of new homes, she also highlighted the significant levels of overcrowding in the borough, particularly (despite the Council’s ongoing efforts) in the under-regulated private rented sector. Turning to education she also highlighted the fact that 165 languages were spoken across the boroughs schools with 96% managing to achieve good or outstanding Ofsted ratings. As a final example of the apparent contradictions she referred to the borough being home to the Welsh Harp reservoir and acres of parkland whilst at the same time experiencing some of the highest pollution levels in Europe linked to the North Circular Road and A5.
Councillor Colacicco also felt thatthe Council was too modest about its successes, and was keen to ensure the borough and staff received the recognition and promotion they deserved. As an example she highlighted the way staff had been required to adapt in responding to the pandemic with many having to learn new skills and take on new roles in assisting to deliver the Council’s response and support to vulnerable residents, often at risk to their own health. In promoting the borough, she felt these efforts needed to be recognised and was therefore pleased to be able to list some of the awards won by staff in Brent since 2018. These had included a member of staff from Alperton Community School being named Global Teacher of the Year; Brent being awarded Parking and Legal Team of the year along with the Royal Town Planning Institutes Local Authority Planning Team of the year; a member of staff being recognised as Young Lawyer of the year as well as the Council achieving the status of Young Local Authority of the year and being awarded the winning entry at the New Year Day Parade in 2020. The Mayor also highlighted how Brent was able to demonstrate it was leading by example in terms of the equality and diversity of its own workforce including at senior management level and ended by highlighting the borough having been being selected as London Borough of Culture 2020 as well as having been awarded the title of Local Government Chronicle Council of the Year for 2020. She felt these demonstrated how Brent had been officially recognised as being the best. As further evidence of residents enjoying where they lived, she also highlighted how Brent has been identified, based on research by the ONS, as the happiest borough in the country.
Councillor Colacicco then moved on to express her gratitude for the mutual aid groups who had supported residents in the borough throughout the pandemic. In a year where so many had been forced to rely on others, she explained how difficult it was to have chosen just two charities to support during her year in office, but advised that she had selected the following two:
· Parkinson’s UK; and
· Cricklewood Library
She also announced the launch of a Pledge, in which everyone could get involved. The idea would involve people (through an app) pledging to make a small change to their routine in order to help save resources. Examples provided included not fully filling the kettle, growing your own vegetables and eating seasonal food. Taking together it was felt these small changes would all add up to make a bid difference at the end of the year.
Councillor Colacicco ended by informing members that her annual Civic Ceremony, was due to be held (lockdown permitting) on 8 July. This would be a secular event focussed on her chosen charities and launch of her pledge and in summing up reminded members of the support she would be seeking on her twin focus over the next year in relation to:
· reminding everyone of the big difference that could be achieved through small changes; and
· her role as an ambassador and cheerleader for Brent.