Councillor Hussain should resign

Aftab Hussain

The news that Labour councillor Aftab Hussain has been 'promoted' to Chairman of the Pennines Township Committee has outraged the people of Rochdale.

Councillor Hussain gave a positive character reference for Abdul Qayyum, who was later convicted of conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Hussain, however, remains in his role as a Labour councillor in the Firgrove and Smallbridge ward, and is now chairman of a township committee.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/70701/outrage-at-hussain-promotion

A typical reaction from a local resident came from A Harris, who said: “It’s just Rochdale all over, it’s an absolute joke. He should have been sacked, never mind standing down. It infuriates me.”

We conducted a poll of councillors and asked them two questions:

• Do you think Labour councillor Aftab Hussain should resign as a councillor?
• Do you think Labour councillor Aftab Hussain should have been 'promoted' to Chairman of the Pennines Township Committee?

Of the 59 councillors questioned only seven were prepared to answer.

Of those seven (Conservative councillors Janet Darnborough, Ian Duckworth and Ann Metcalfe; Labour councillors Lil Murphy and Shaun O'Neill; Liberal Democrat councillors Dale Mulgrew and Hilary Rogers), six felt that Hussain should resign as a councillor and five that he should not have been 'promoted' to Chairman of Pennines Township Committee.

Councillor Ann Metcalfe gave her reasons saying: "After much consideration I certainly feel Councillor Aftab Hussain has been proved to have shown extremely poor judgment of character.

"On such a sensitive issue as the case in question, in my opinion, he should have had regard for the statements of the young girls. As councillors we all have a duty of care as Corporate Parents and to have taken sides in this way was insensitive and thoughtless.
 
"Yes, I feel he should have the good grace to resign.
 
"It does seem foolhardy to have put him into such a role as Chair. I’m not at all sure what he can or would bring to such a role. Obviously the Labour Group have their own reasons for having done so.

"To me it is totally insensitive and deplorable to ‘reward’ someone in this situation. How must those poor girls feel to hear what has happened.

"In my mind he should not be representing the people of our borough in any position of governance at all.
 
"No, he should not have been promoted. It will just fuel the extremists in our midst."

Almost half the councillors, 29, including all three party leaders (Councillors Lambert, Dearnley and Kelly), failed to reply at all.

23 refused to comment. When asked why the vast majority would not say, however, Councillor Andrew Neilson (Conservative) said: “The BS [Borough Solicitor] has told us all that none of us can comment on it.”

Councillor Pat Greenall (Labour) said: “We’ve been asked not to comment on this.” And when asked by who, replied: “We’re not allowed to talk about it.”

We emailed the Borough Solicitor and asked if councillors were being 'gagged' and if so, why.

The reply came from a member of the Council Communications Team: "I can confirm that no-one at the council has told any councillor not to comment, or issued any specific guidance re commenting on a councillor."