Shelina Akhtar
Disgraced Tower Hamlets councillor Shelina Akhtar refuses to step down
Mike Brooke
Thursday, January 26, 2012
4:51 PM
The disgraced Tower Hamlets councillor who admitted in court dishonestly claiming housing and council tax benefit continues to defy calls for her resignation.
Cllr Shelina Akhtar didn’t turn up for last night’s key council meeting—but sent apologies instead.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman had been the latest to call for her to step down, after demands from both the Labour Group leader and Tory Group leader for her to go.
She pleaded guilty on January 9 to three charges of failing to notify a change of circumstance and continued claiming benefits and will be sentenced on February 6.
Akhtar won her seat on the council in 2010, representing Spitalfields for Labour, but then defected to become an independent working alongside Mayor Rahman.
The mayor said earlier this month that council procedures had to be followed and the authority was waiting for the outcome of the court sentencing before deciding any further steps.
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2 comments
First this woman was elected as a LABOUR councillor in a safe seat!! and then defected to become an Independent now she has the nerve to remain on the council after admitting to breaking the law!! there are many decent law abiding people who could have served their party and community much better and would at least attend vital meetings on behalf of their electors ... In the the words of Oliver Cromwell 'in the name of God be gone and go quickly for what use you are'
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gazzer
Monday, January 30, 2012
First Baroness Uddin and now this councillor disgraced. Have these people no shame?
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blossom
Friday, January 27, 2012