The Full Council of Barking and Dagenham Council met on Friday 22 May 2026, approving the appointment of Councillor Manzoor Hussain as Mayor for 2026/27 and Councillor Dominic Twomey as Leader of the Council for a four-year term. The council also approved the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026/27, which includes a 3.2% increase to basic and special responsibility allowances.

Appointment of Mayor and Leader

Councillor Manzoor Hussain was appointed as the Mayor of Barking and Dagenham for the 2026/27 municipal year. Following this, Councillor Dominic Twomey was elected as the Leader of the Council for a four-year term, concluding at the Annual Full Council meeting in May 2030. The Leader then announced the appointments to the Cabinet, including Councillor Saima Ashraf as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community, Business and Engagement, and Councillor Maureen Worby as Cabinet Member for Housing, Adult Social Care and Health.

Members' Allowances Scheme 2026/27

The Full Council approved the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026/27. This scheme includes a 3.2% increase to the Basic Allowance and Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs), aligning with the Local Government Services Pay Agreement for the preceding year. The scheme also reflects changes to the council's governance arrangements, including the renaming of the Assembly to Full Council and the Mayor automatically becoming Chair of Full Council. The scheme also re-introduces the entitlement for elected councillors to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) from 11 May 2026. The Basic Allowance for councillors will be £14,073 per annum. Special Responsibility Allowances have also been updated, with the Leader of the Council receiving £59,154 and Deputy Leaders receiving £35,141. The Dependants' Carers' Allowance will be adjusted annually in line with the London Living Wage, which was £14.80 per hour from 22 October 2025. The total estimated budget requirement for the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026/27 is £1.375 million.

Appointments to Political Structure and Other Bodies

The council approved appointments to various Council committees and other internal and external bodies for the 2026/27 municipal year. This ensures that committees are politically balanced in accordance with Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The Chief Executive was delegated authority to fill any vacant positions prior to the next meeting.

Formation of Political Groups

The Chief Executive announced the formation of the following political groups: the Labour Group, with Councillor Dominic Twomey as Leader; the Reform UK Group, with Councillor Ben Suter as Leader; and the Green Party Group, with Councillor Moin Quadri as Leader.

Mayor's Announcements

The Mayor, Councillor Manzoor Hussain, provided an update on his activities, including visits to Barking and Dagenham's twinned town of Witten, and announced upcoming fundraising events and initiatives, such as the Qawwali and Bollywood Gala Night and the LBBD Mayor's Poppy Project.

Young Mayor 2026/27

The Full Council noted the appointment of Iannis Bonciu as the Young Mayor of Barking and Dagenham for 2026/27, following his election by the Barking and Dagenham Youth Forum.

Treasury Management Annual Review 2025/26

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the Treasury Management Annual Report for 2025/26. The report highlighted that the Council's Authorised Limit for borrowing was £2.2 billion, and the Operational Boundary was £2.1 billion. Total Council borrowing increased by approximately £90 million to £1.616 billion, largely due to the Investment and Acquisition Strategy (IAS). The report also noted that long-term interest rates remained high, leading the Council to pursue short-term loans. The overall General Fund treasury revenue position showed a surplus return of £0.389 million. The Council resolved to approve the report and noted the capital financing prudential indicators and borrowing and investment figures.

2024/25 External Auditor's Annual Report

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the External Auditor's Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2025. The report acknowledged the significant progress made by the Council in strengthening its governance and financial management arrangements, while also identifying recommendations for continued improvement. The Council resolved to note the report.

Audit and Risk Committee Annual Report 2025/26

The Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee presented the committee's annual report. The report detailed external audit fees, the status of audits, and the conclusion that governance arrangements were generally effective, with further improvements required. The report also noted that 37 out of 50 planned internal audits had been completed, providing overall assurance on governance, risk management, and internal controls. The Full Council resolved to note the report.

Children's Care and Support Self-Evaluation 2025

The Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care and Disabilities presented the annual self-evaluation for Children's Care and Support services. The report outlined areas of strength and improvement, with an Improvement Plan for 2026-27 focusing on implementing the Families First Partnership reforms. The Full Council resolved to note the self-evaluation.

Motions With Notice

A substantive motion moved by Councillor Robinson and seconded by Councillor Ashraf, recognising the British West India Regiment and the contributions of Black British and global majority service personnel, was carried. An amended motion, which included references to Gurkha regiments and the treatment of military compensation, was moved by Councillor Suter and seconded by Councillor Miller, but was lost. Due to time constraints, two remaining Motions With Notice were deferred to the next meeting.