Twenty years ago Osman was in Andrew Rosindell’s ‘Brat Pack’, now he’s a forty(ish) councillor with cabinet responsibilities for Environment.
Assuming Osman is a full-time Accounts Manager, this raises an important issue.1 His substantial salary as a cabinet member/councillor is £37,750.2.. For many Havering employees this is a full-time salary.
Zoom’s been kind to Osman. He reads pre-prepared statements fluently, unlike Damian White. Osman also looks the part. At the March 24th, 2021 Council meeting he read officer prepared answers. Osman’s answers were on dog ‘poo’, APCs, roads, parks, flooding (2) and pot holes (2).3
He reads pre-prepared answers and what else? Directing environmental policy means rising to challenges locally. Osman should exercise leadership. Major challenges are:
chemicals on roads and pavements,
the climate emergency,
air quality,
electric vehicles (the Council procurement policy?),
flooding.
Osman’s laissez-faire attitude ignores them all.
If Osman did develop policies they should be discussed with the Environment Overview and Scrutiny committee. He’s never attended that committee. He’s never faced probing questions with multiple follow-ups. He’s always been protected. Osman is a very expensive puppet.
His £37,750 is an insult to Havering’s employees. Many of his employees earn less than him for an actual full-time working week. Osman doesn’t do the job that he’s handsomely rewarded for.
Notes
1 mgConvert2PDF.aspx (havering.gov.uk)
2 Havering Members Allowances 2018-19 summary For average wages in Havering see Average London Borough of Havering Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale And for nurses see Nurse Average Salary (UK 2021) | Jobted UK
3 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 24/03/2021 19:30 (havering.gov.uk) Item12. If you wish to watch Council questions go to Annotator Player (sonicfoundry.com) starting at 28 minutes in
Politics in Havering 