Abdul Wahid - Councillor for Tower Hamlets (Stepney Green)

Councillor Abdul Wahid

Aspire Stepney Green Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Email: abdul.wahid@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Council: Tower Hamlets

Council Profile: View on council website

Committees: Cabinet (Member) Council (Member) Audit Committee (Member) General Purposes Committee (Vice-Chair) King George's Field Charity Board Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board Grants Determination (Cabinet) Sub-Committee Pensions Committee (Substitute) Human Resources Committee (Substitute) Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Chair) Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) (Member)

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Positions, Voting Record & Activity Summary

Last updated: 8 days ago

Abdul Wahid's council service across 2024, 2025, and 2026 demonstrates a consistent dedication to council governance, resident well-being, and service improvement, with a pronounced and deepening focus on scrutiny and financial oversight in recent years.

Key Themes and Priorities: Across his tenure, Wahid has consistently prioritized transparency, accountability, and the effective delivery of council services. He has shown a particular interest in financial matters, including budgets, fees, charges, and hardship funds, as well as the well-being of vulnerable residents, especially young people and those requiring social inclusion initiatives. His recent work heavily emphasizes robust scrutiny and performance management.

Evolution of Focus: While Wahid was involved in policy decisions and strategic oversight in earlier years (e.g., as Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Growth in 2024), his focus has increasingly shifted towards the chairmanship of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. This evolution is evident in the growing detail and prominence of his activities in this role, culminating in his active leadership in 2026. His engagement with financial matters, such as the budget and MTFS, has also become more central to his recent activities.

Most Significant Contributions (Especially in Recent Years): In 2026, as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Wahid's leadership was paramount. He actively managed committee proceedings, ensuring the formal conduct of meetings, outlining procedural guidelines, and acknowledging significant events. His facilitation of discussions on critical financial matters like the budget, MTFS, fees, charges, and the hardship fund, alongside his emphasis on resident involvement in the CIP, highlights his commitment to fiscal responsibility and community engagement. His management of the committee's business in the Mayor's absence further underscores his leadership capabilities.

In 2025, Wahid's contributions were multifaceted. As Chair of Overview & Scrutiny, he was instrumental in presenting committee findings on critical issues such as hardship initiatives, waste services, technology risk, and leisure services. His advocacy for flood risk management and improvements for women and care-experienced young people, alongside his engagement with Children's Mental Health Services, demonstrates a deep commitment to social welfare. His foreword to the Strategic Plan 2025-2028 for the Youth Justice Executive Board, celebrating achievements in youth participation and SEND quality, is a significant testament to his dedication to young people.

In 2024, Wahid played a key role in policy, notably as Executive Mayor suspending changes to the Homelessness Placement Policy based on new data, demonstrating responsiveness to resident feedback. His emphasis on responsible dog ownership and his ambition to improve council performance as Chair of Overview & Scrutiny were also notable.

Patterns and Consistent Areas of Interest: A consistent pattern throughout Wahid's service is his commitment to effective governance and resident welfare. He consistently engages with issues that impact the daily lives of residents, from safety and optimism (as noted in the 2024 survey findings) to financial hardship and the provision of essential services. His increasing prominence in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee across these years suggests a growing dedication to ensuring the council operates efficiently and transparently, with a particular focus on financial prudence and service delivery for all.

Overall, Abdul Wahid's recent activities, particularly his leadership in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in 2026, highlight his role as a key figure in ensuring council accountability and driving improvements in financial management and resident services.

Yearly Activity Timeline

During 2026, Abdul Wahid, as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, actively led committee meetings. His key activities included formally opening proceedings, outlining procedural guidelines, acknowledging significant events such as the passing of corporate director Simon Baxter, and managing agenda items. He facilitated presentations and discussions on crucial financial matters like the budget, MTFS, fees, charges, and the hardship fund. He also emphasized the importance of resident involvement in the CIP and managed the committee's business in the absence of the Mayor.

Monthly Activity in 2026

During January 2026, Abdul Wahid, in his role as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, presided over two meetings. In the January 12th meeting, he formally opened the proceedings, outlined procedural guidelines, and acknowledged the passing of corporate director Simon Baxter. He also managed agenda items, including declarations of interest, confirmation of minutes, and facilitated presentations on the budget and MTFS, as well as discussions on fees, charges, and the hardship fund. On January 26th, he welcomed attendees, explained the Mayor's absence, and thanked officers and members for their contributions, emphasizing the importance of resident involvement in the CIP.

Meetings in January 2026
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 26th January, 2026 6.30 p.m. - 26 January 2026

Councillor Abdul Wahid, in his capacity as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, presided over the meeting on 15 December 2025. He welcomed attendees and explained the Mayor's absence due to demanding priorities, reminding members that officers present were representatives. Following presentations, he thanked the officers and members for their contributions, emphasizing the continued importance of resident involvement and that resident voices were actively sought and considered in the ongoing work of the CIP.

Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

65 meetings · Page 2 of 13

Council Member

Council - Wednesday, 21st January, 2026 7.00 p.m.

The Council meeting on 21 January 2026 saw councillors pay tribute to the late Dobiru Islam Choudhury and Simon Baxter, with numerous members sharing fond memories and condolences. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to debating and voting on motions concerning the proposed Chinese Embassy development and the impact of government changes to affordable housing targets.

January 21, 2026
Overview & Scrutiny Committee Chair

Budget Meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 12th January, 2026 6.30 p.m.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Monday 12 January 2026 to scrutinise the provisional budget for 2026-27 and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2026-29. Key discussions included significant additional investments in adult social care and temporary accommodation, alongside plans for new housing developments and improvements to existing council housing stock. The committee also reviewed fees and charges, with proposed increases for housing rents and other services.

January 12, 2026
Cabinet Member

Cabinet - Wednesday, 8th January, 2025 5.30 p.m.

Here is a summary of the Cabinet meeting of Tower Hamlets Council on 8 January 2025, where the main topics of discussion were the budget for 2025-26, the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2025-28, and updates on youth justice and highways projects. The Cabinet approved the draft budget and MTFS, which included a council tax freeze for those earning less than £50,350, new investments in services, and a plan to achieve savings of £77 million. They also endorsed the Youth Justice Strategic Plan and noted the Highways and Transportation delivery report.

December 31, 2025
Human Resources Committee Substitute

Human Resources Committee - Monday, 22nd December, 2025 6.30 p.m.

The Human Resources Committee met on 22 December 2025, noting the action log and work plan, and discussing senior recruitment, employee relations, and an update from the Corporate Director for Communities. The committee approved an extension of the interim arrangement for the Director of Governance post, and agreed to shorten the extension for the Interim Director of Community Safety.

December 22, 2025
Overview & Scrutiny Committee Chair

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 15th December, 2025 6.30 p.m.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss progress against the council's improvement plans, strategic performance, and budget monitoring. The committee will review findings from a Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge progress review, and receive an update on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Corporate Improvement Plan. They will also consider the strategic delivery and performance report, and budget monitoring report for the second quarter of the financial year.

December 15, 2025

Decisions from Meetings

78 decisions · Page 1 of 16

Scrutiny Deep Dive Markets Challenge Action Plan

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...to note the report and agree to the actions outlined in response to the Scrutiny Markets Challenge Session, aimed at supporting markets and traders in Tower Hamlets by addressing issues related to infrastructure, anti-social behaviour, waste management, trader retention, and communication.

Recommendations Approved

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...the Corporate Director of Children’s Services was authorised to award a contract to East London Foundation Trust for the re-commissioning of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Children’s Social Care, ensuring continued mental health support for young people in the Supporting Families division.

Recommendations Approved

Agency worker contract – Contract Award for 2 years

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...to award a two-year contract to Matrix for agency worker services, utilizing the London Collaboration M-Star 4 framework, with the aim of achieving cost savings and supporting the Council's recruitment and resourcing strategy.

Recommendations Approved

Introduction of a dog control public spaces protection order

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...the Cabinet of Tower Hamlets decided to introduce a dog control public spaces protection order to address dog fouling, require dogs to be on leads in certain areas and when directed, exclude dogs from specific areas, limit the number of dogs one person can walk, and introduce a professional dog walkers license.

Recommendations Approved

Outcome of representations received in response to the statutory (public) notice to amalgamate Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...to merge Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools into a single, all-through primary school for children aged 3 to 11, effective September 1, 2025.

For Determination