After the Wragge report and the scandal of Sandwell Labour councillors not declaring interests in topics and transactions, one would have thought only the stupidest would publicly flout the rules in a Sandwell cabinet meeting. Step up Cllr Zahoor Ahmed.
The 7th December 2016 cabinet was discussing the licensing of private hire and taxi drivers in the light of the Casey review into sexual exploitation of children by Rotherham taxi/private hire drivers. Cllr Ahmed intervened with “I am a driver myself in Birmingham” and was about to proceed on a defence of taxi drivers when it was appreciated that he had failed to disclose an interest in this agenda item. So he was summarily ordered from the meeting.
This gave Cllr. Yvonne Davies the opportunity to say something stupid. There was no problem of taxi drivers in Sandwell sexually abusing the young, she opined (how does she know?) and they were taking a sledgehammer to crack a non-existent nut. Cllr. Maria Crompton restored sanity by pointing out that as there were procedures and rules to ensure safety of the taxis, similar checks were needed on their drivers.
Now all this commotion, usually unknown in these highly staged events, was too much for Cllr. Peter Hughes who then fluffed his lines and suggested that school 6th forms should be lectured on the topic. “On taxis?” asked a bemused Leader, Cllr. Eling
Then, it became clear that Cllr. Hughes was reading his script for the next agenda item on which he was scheduled to make some off the cuff, helpful comments. This seems his allotted role in all meetings.
Despite all Cllr Hughes’ efforts to ingratiate himself, the Leader somehow can’t avoid looking at him rather as a very hungry crocodile might eye a plump and appetising toad.