On May 6, alongside the London mayoral and assembly elections, there will be a referendum in Tower Hamlets on how the council is run.

This is an opportunity to change the current system of a directly elected mayor to a leader and cabinet system of government.

The leader and cabinet system of government allows more inclusive decision making and much greater accountability to your ward councillors. It means your councillors have much more influence over how council services are run, rather than power being concentrated in the hands of one person.

After the controversies and abuses of power during the first five years of the mayoral system, it is vital we ensure that there are greater checks and balances to protect public resources.

Ultimately, a cabinet model would be more inclusive and allow local residents to have greater influence over decisions that affect their lives.

That is why I’m supporting the change to a leader and cabinet model of government and encourage you to vote for this.