Oh dear…despite having the DLR, the Tube and an extensive bus network, Mayor Lutfur Rahman doesn’t seem to be a fan of the public transport network that his pal Ken Livingstone so frequently boasts he improved.
The Tower Hamlets Tories have just issued the following press release which reveals that despite having to make savage public spending cuts, he’s been spending £400 a month of our money on taxis for himself.
PRESS RELEASE
Mayor of Britain’s poorest borough spends £2,191 on taxi fares
Since his election as Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman has charged the residents of Britain’s poorest borough £2,191.04 on taxi fares, according to information received by way of an enquiry, up to the end of February 2011.
Enquiries from council members show that Mayor Rahman, his deputy and two other leading members have racked up substantial taxi fares.
Black Cabs have regularly been seen outside the Tower Hamlets Council offices with Lutfur Rahman written on card and placed in thier windows. Mayor Rahman is paid £65,000 a year and owns a very smart car which he regularly used and parked at the town hall.
Councillor Peter Golds, leader of the Conservative Group has asked for furthrr details of both hirings and journeys and how much has been paid to taxis to wait outside of buildings.
Says Councillor Golds:
“Administration members driving around in taxis when they have cars and the right to park in both residents bays and Civic buildings throughout the borough, is ridiculous. For a council which constantly complains about “cuts” and has reserves of over £68 million, why is the leadership wasting this money on taxi fares?”
Notes to Editor:-
- Cllr Golds received a response to a formal enquiry made on March 24th and numbered 526 573 579, which confirmed from taking up office on Monday 24th October 2010 and February 28 2011 the council had paid a total of £2,191.04 for taxis for Mayor Lutfur Rahman.
- In addition Deputy Mayor Cllr Ohid Ahmed used taxis for atotal of £102.72 and Cllr Rania Khan £138.29 and Cllr Oliur Rahman, £51.18. Both Cllrs Khan and Rahman are cabinet members.
Perhaps he just prefers being driven around so he can play with his Apple iPhone4 in the back seat?
Trial by Jeory 
Ted,
I know this is not the appropriate place for this comment, but I’m surprised that you have not picked up on the story of Terry Fitzpatrick being convicted of racism
http://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/harrys-place-and-searchlight-harboured-racist
can’t wait for the pro lutfur commenters to spin this!!! he’s sunk.
Oh again! Mayor need to use taxis to run council executive business properly and to attend back to back meetings. I would have thought you would ask why council is wasting money on chauffer and lease car for a chair which is merely used. You wouldn’t because he is another …….
Someone suggested considering to change your blog name as Lutfur on Trial or Josh/Peter’s puppet Ted. I support this because. We couldn’t call this as yellow journalism if you did same to your long standing friend Josh or new friend (guess he became friend because he submitted dodgy dossier against the community).
In terms of Labour Leadership it doesn’t matter for Lutfur because Josh will be an easy one to deal with on the other hand if David became a leader it will be difficult for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor as they are quite close to him, they share same views, at least Peter Gold will not have influence running the Labour in Tower Hamlets.
Lutfur will not and can not go to Labour, we as a community don’t want that to happened, if he decided than I guess a big consultation will be required and people like me will oppose.
What is the problem if Lutfur drive a nice car? Should his family also suffer because of his politics, this is what you are now moving towards and I request you to avoid this. You must know Lutfur is not like you or your friends he earned enough through his profession (many of may be jealous) and can afford a nice car and home.
how deranged
As much as it pains me to agree with Ash there is a case for using taxis between meetings in a working day. In effect the taxi is a mobile office and The Mayor doesn’t have to stop working between events. Of course Brian Coleman is the one famous for keeping taxi’s running while in meetings.
ha ha that’s obviously the line Lutfur’s gang have decided to us – “he doesn’t have to stop working between events”. What an insult. Well done to Takki Sulliman for dreaming it up though. He won’t last long either.
You’ll have to think of something better than that! Lutfur’s one of the laziest people in Mulberry place!!
Disgusted of Shadwell is that you Bill Turner coz it sounds like one of your mad rants…Talk about being lazy have a look at your self in all sorts of way…
“Al” no I’m not Bill Turner. Now why don’t you reply to my questions rather than just launch empty attacks or do you think that we aren’t getting a bargain with these taxis?
Then he should go on the bus and take his laptop and expensive smartphone so he can work on things on said train or bus. That way he won’t have to stop working.
Except that means he might be exposed to icky real people.