Councillor Amina Ali

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

Councillor Amina Ali seconded the motion to exclude the press and public from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of Section Two business.

Audit Committee - Wednesday, 3rd December, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 3 December 2025

Amina Ali attended the Audit Committee meeting on December 3rd, 2025, as a Substitute Member. No specific statements or actions were recorded for her in the provided documents.

Council - Wednesday, 19th November, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 19 November 2025

During the Council meeting on November 19th, 2025, Amina Ali questioned the petitioner about concerns regarding the cricket pitch in Victoria Park. She specifically asked for details about an incident in Battersea, drawing a parallel to the petitioner's concerns, and inquired why a similar event might occur in Victoria Park.

As a parent, I do understand your anxiety about any kind of injury. In your petition, you talked about Battersea, which I'm also very much aware of. Can you explain to the full council tonight what happened in Battersea and why you're worried that a similar incident may happen here as well?

Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 13th November, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 13 November 2025

Amina Ali introduced herself as a councillor for Bow East at the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on November 13th, 2025. She stated, Hi, my name's Amina Ali. I'm councillor Boeist.

Council - Wednesday, 8th October, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 8 October 2025

Councillor Amina Ali sent apologies for absence from the Council meeting on October 8th, 2025.

Apologies for absence from Councillor Amina Ali.

Licensing Regulatory Committee - Thursday, 18th September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 18 September 2025

Amina Ali was present as a member of the Licensing Regulatory Committee on 3 June 2025. There is no record of her speaking or taking any action during this meeting.

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee - Tuesday, 16th September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 16 September 2025

Councillor Amina Ali declared that she is a Tower Hamlets Tenant. It was also noted that officers would discuss providing community workshops with Councillor Amina Ali outside of the meeting to reassure Somali residents that their concerns are being heard and their views will assist with service improvements.

Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 4th September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 4 September 2025

Councillor Amina Ali was present at the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on 4th September 2025. There is no record of her speaking or taking any action during the meeting.

Human Resources Committee - Monday, 1st September, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 1 September 2025

Councillor Amina Ali was present at the Human Resources Committee meeting on 22 May 2025. She seconded the proposal to move into a closed session to discuss employee relations casework and policy.

Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 17th July, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 17 July 2025

Based on the provided documents, there is no indication that Amina Ali said or did anything during the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on July 17, 2025.

Council - Wednesday, 16th July, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 16 July 2025

Amina Ali was present at the Council meeting held on Wednesday, 16th July, 2025. However, the provided documents do not contain any record of her speaking or taking specific actions during the meeting.

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee - Tuesday, 15th July, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 15 July 2025

Amina Ali, a councillor from Bow East and a tenant for Tower Hamlets Homes, inquired about the low percentage of asbestos safety checks for Gateway Housing Association. She noted a significant decline from the previous quarter and requested an explanation. Councillor Ali stated she would wait for Gateway's response before asking further questions.

Licensing Sub Committee - Thursday, 12th June, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 12 June 2025

Councillor Amina Ali, representing Bow East and the Labour Party, actively questioned the applicant regarding proposed conditions for extending venue hours. She specifically probed the feasibility and enforceability of a condition to deny re-admittance after 1:45 am and expressed concern that extended hours could turn the venue into an after-party place if other establishments closed earlier. Councillor Ali also raised issues about the venue already exceeding the council's framework hours for community impact areas, questioning the justification for further extensions and the absence of discussion on winding down or drinking up periods. She further inquired about the applicant's understanding of the Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) and their strategies for managing patrons' responsible departure to mitigate noise and public nuisance, especially given the proximity of residential areas. Additionally, she questioned why extending hours to 3 am would be problematic if the venue was not already causing issues at 2 am.

Licensing Regulatory Committee - Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025 7.15 p.m. - 3 June 2025

Amina Ali was a member of the Licensing Regulatory Committee for the meeting on Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025. No specific statements or actions were recorded for her in the provided documents.

Licensing Committee - Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025 7.30 p.m. - 3 June 2025

Amina Ali inquired about the late-night levy report, specifically asking about protections for vulnerable individuals such as trans women and street workers, and whether the Volcar initiative could be broadened to encompass general vulnerability rather than solely violence against women and girls. She also questioned how street workers are covered and if there are additional protection measures beyond venue staff training. Ali raised concerns about the financial aspects of the levy, referencing the total income, expenditure, and the need to withdraw funds from reserves. She asked for clarification on how to be more careful in monitoring expenditures to avoid depleting reserves and sought details on the deployment of additional police patrols in specific areas. It was also noted that Amina Ali was an apology for absence at a previous meeting on 16 January 2025 and is a member of the Labour Group on the Licensing Committee for the 2025-2026 Municipal Year.

Annual Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 14th May, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 14 May 2025

Amina Ali had apologies for absence at the Council meeting held on 2nd April 2025. There is no record of her speaking or taking any action in the provided document for the 14th May 2025 meeting.

Council - Wednesday, 2nd April, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 2 April 2025

During the Council meeting on April 2nd, 2025, Amina Ali cast votes against several key motions. Specifically, she voted against an amendment proposed by Councillor Marc Francis, an amendment proposed by Councillor Nathalie Bienfait, and the main Budget Motion put forward by Mayor Lutfur Rahman and Councillor Saied Ahmed.

Extraordinary, Audit Committee - Thursday, 13th March, 2025 6.45 p.m. - 13 March 2025

Councillor Amina Ali attended the Extraordinary Audit Committee meeting on March 13, 2025, as a substitute for Cllr Asma Begum. There is no record of her speaking or taking any action during the meeting.

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee - Monday, 24th February, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 24 February 2025

Amina Ali was a Deputy on the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee. She sent apologies for her absence from the meeting on February 24th, 2025, due to attending an extraordinary meeting for the audit committee.

Extraordinary - , Audit Committee - Monday, 24th February, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 24 February 2025

Councillor Amina Ali from Bow East introduced herself at the beginning of the meeting and declared that she had no conflict of interest.

Hi, I'm councillor Mina Ali from Boise and I have no conflict.

Licensing Committee - Thursday, 16th January, 2025 6.30 p.m. - 23 January 2025

Councillor Amina Ali attended the Licensing Committee meeting virtually on 2025-01-23. However, the records indicate that she did not speak or take any specific action during the meeting.

Council - Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025 7.00 p.m. - 22 January 2025

Amina Ali sent apologies for her absence from the Council meeting on Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025.

, Audit Committee - Wednesday, 4th December, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 4 December 2024

Amina Ali attended the Audit Committee meeting on December 4th, 2024, substituting for Councillor Begum. She was thanked for her attendance. Councillor Ali also posed a question to the auditors regarding the duration of Deloitte's work, framing it from the perspective of a layperson or resident: > Could I ask a question that maybe the layperson would ask? So maybe if I was a resident at home listening to this. Why did it take Deloitte so long to complete?

Council - Wednesday, 20th November, 2024 7.00 p.m. - 20 November 2024

Councillor Amina Ali spoke about two key topics related to Somaliland. Firstly, she paid tribute to the late President of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohammed Mohammed Solania, describing him as a pioneer of the Somali National Movement and a freedom fighter who helped establish a stable government. She highlighted his role in uniting Somali clans and tribes, both in life and in death.

Secondly, Councillor Ali discussed the recent peaceful elections in Somaliland. She noted that Somaliland is a stable and peaceful country in the Horn of Africa, especially in contrast to other regions facing problems. She congratulated the new president, Abdi Rahman Hamid Abdi Lahim Ira, from the Wadhani Party, and mentioned his links to Tower Hamlets. Councillor Ali reminded the council that Tower Hamlets was the second UK council to recognize Somaliland as an independent state in 2015, a motion she brought forward. She expressed hope that the council would continue to work with Somaliland and support their efforts for international recognition.

Licensing Sub Committee - Tuesday, 29th October, 2024 2.30 p.m. - 29 October 2024

Amina Ali actively participated in the Licensing Sub Committee meeting, posing questions to both the applicants and the residents. She inquired about the reward system for the quiz game, asking:

so how are the winners rewarded this was actually a thank you to thank you to the applicants and obviously the residents up here today so like the chair I was really interested in this concept and what was it about very new and I think you've kind of explained it better now so in terms of you've explained like how many people can be at the same time and you know how you've done the the setup where it's half an hour so is it half an hour during the partnership of the game or is it from the entering to exit kind of also the reward competition so we know it's kind of a quiz but is a reward scheme where for example the winner gets the same price or what is the reward always just a points where they just like okay you're the winner you just leave as a group what is the reward scheme actually

She also questioned the residents about their concerns regarding noise and why they hadn't visited the premises to assess the soundproofing measures, given their complaints:

so I was like why maybe some of the residents didn't go and see kind of I mean the main issue a lot of the residents were complaining about it but noise and we've heard from the applicant some of the areas where they've kind of set conditions we've done this we've done well soundproof we've made sure like minimum sound is above the people right above they don't have that sound impact how like why wasn't it interesting to go and check it out to see maybe then it could have explained the experience further like you know we've been there we've heard the noise it's definitely reaching us above so I just wanna ask any residents here if they had that impact

Ali further questioned a resident about the effectiveness of advanced bookings and CCTV in mitigating concerns about noise and loitering outside the premises. She also questioned the applicant about the percentage of revenue expected from alcohol sales and the implications for the license if that percentage were to change in the future. She also asked about the applicant's experience in the UK, the investment made, and whether the applicant had considered the Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) restrictions before investing.

Licensing Committee - Tuesday, 22nd October, 2024 6.00 p.m. - 22 October 2024

Councillor Amina Ali, representing Bow East and the Labour Party, participated in the discussion regarding the cumulative impact assessment policy. She sought clarification on the effectiveness of the policy's powers in controlling the opening or extension of licenses for nightclubs and bars, particularly in relation to preventing anti-social behaviour. Councillor Ali expressed a desire for the policy to provide committee members with a bit more teeth to address these issues, noting that current arguments sometimes fall short when reviewing or granting licenses.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 15th October, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 15 October 2024

Amina Ali was listed as being replaced on the committee by Councillor Abdi Mohamed. It was noted that Councillor Abdi was replacing Councillor Aminale.

Amina Ali was also listed as being in attendance virtually at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 10 September 2024, although this was a previous meeting and not the current one on October 15th.

Council - Wednesday, 2nd October, 2024 7.00 p.m. - 2 October 2024

Amina Ali seconded the Labour amendment to the administration's motion regarding winter fuel allowance. She argued that local government should step in when the national government fails to adequately protect its citizens. She emphasized the importance of supporting elderly residents who rely on winter fuel, including those who narrowly miss qualifying for government assistance. She urged councillors to put aside political differences and support the Labour amendment, stating that the council has the funds to address the issue and should use them wisely.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say, along with my colleague, Councillor Mark Francis, that the Labour amendment is a fair amendment. It's really important that sometimes if government don't get things right, local government steps in and makes sure that it protects its citizens and its residents. And I think it's really important that we here in Tower Hamlets recognize that we have many members in our community who are elderly, including my own mother, who just has one P over her pension, which means that she doesn't qualify. And many of them like that in this borough, who relied on the winter fuel to get them through the winter. And I think we shouldn't play politics for people's lives. We need to make sure that we are protecting people. It's not about whether the Labour government did this or the Tory government did that. It's about when we as councillors really need to come together to make sure that we look at what's happening and how we can step in. There is money in this council. We have got funds that we can use, and it's important that we use them wisely and properly, and that the Labour amendment clearly states how that should be done. And I think once we should put politics aside, support the Labour amendment, if you're serious about it, and stop playing politics with people's lives.

Extraordinary Meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 30th September, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 30 September 2024

Amina Ali was noted as joining the meeting online.

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee - Monday, 16th September, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 16 September 2024

Councillor Amina Ali (Bow East) questioned Mandeep Bogle (THCH Director of Operations) about the quality of life for residents and communication issues. She expressed strong dissatisfaction with THCH's performance, stating that it is not working and that residents' experiences do not align with THCH's claims. Ali asserted that THCH was downgraded because of its failures and that residents themselves downgraded the organization due to poor housing quality. She challenged Bogle to define their understanding of community focus and communication, suggesting they do not understand what communicating with residents really looks like.

Thank you for coming. But let's be real, it's not working, is it? It's not working. And what you're telling us tonight is basically not what residents are feeling and not what residents believe is actually happening. So it's not working. And you got downgraded for a reason because it's not working. And I'm going to keep saying it's not working because that's what's going on here.

Ali pressed Bogle for specific examples of recent interactions with residents. She also stated that if THCH was truly engaging with residents effectively, they wouldn't have been downgraded.

Well thank you for that, if you were doing that, and I think you are, then you can't be downgraded, you'd be outstanding. We were downgraded on governance and viability. You were downgraded by your residents who were here, so they downgraded you too.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 10th September, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 10 September 2024

Councillor Amina Ali joined the meeting online. There is no record of her speaking or taking any action during the meeting.

Call in: - Approval of the council’s revised Homelessness Accommodation Placement Policy, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 2nd September, 2024 6.00 p.m. - 2 September 2024

Councillor Amina Ali of Bow East (Labour Party) voiced significant concerns regarding the revised Homelessness Accommodation Placement Policy during the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting. She argued that the policy was being implemented prematurely and without adequate consultation with homeless families, many of whom only learned of the changes through relocation warnings. Ali described the policy as a policy of total and abject failure and questioned its rollout before the comprehensive spending review. She emphasized that the focus should be on the best interests of vulnerable individuals and families, not solely the council's financial interests. Ali provided examples of unsuitable placements, such as a mother with mental health issues and two children in a one-bedroom flat in Medway, and raised concerns about potential difficulties for Muslim families in accessing mosques and halal food in distant locations. She recalled past decisions to purchase properties within Tower Hamlets to keep families connected to their communities, contrasting this with the current policy. Ali highlighted specific issues raised by families of Somali heritage regarding engagement, accommodation quality, and placement distance. She reiterated her belief that the decision was premature and urged the council to await the spending review outcome. While acknowledging the council's investments in staff and inspection regimes for temporary accommodation, Ali also addressed concerns about landlords' reluctance and the council's efforts to engage them. She stated that the Equality Impact Assessment concluded no negative impact if safeguards are in place, with each case considered individually. Ali explained that officers aim to procure properties in areas with established communities and culturally sensitive facilities, with the primary goal of moving people into permanent housing quickly. She clarified that while the council aims to keep people in Tower Hamlets, increasing demand necessitates placements further afield, with Zone D encompassing everywhere else. She also confirmed that the council advises residents on their legal rights and does not support evictions without legal grounds.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 23rd July, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 23 July 2024

Councillor Amina Ali, representing Bow East, actively participated in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on July 23, 2024. She declared a non-disclosable pecuniary interest in item 3.1. During the discussion on the strategic asset management plan, she raised several questions.

Thank you Chair. Thank you for this presentation. I just wanted to dig a little bit more on things that are already mentioned in the report.

Her inquiries focused on the timeline for reviewing asset conditions, the necessity of a net-zero strategy, the strategy for commercial properties, and identifying weaknesses in the assets. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of maintaining buildings with heritage value and ensuring that the community benefits from income maximization efforts related to assets.

Council - Wednesday, 17th July, 2024 7.00 p.m. - 17 July 2024

There is no record of Amina Ali speaking or taking any action in the provided documents for the Council meeting on 2024-07-17.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 9th July, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 9 July 2024

Councillor Amina Ali was present at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on July 9, 2024. However, the meeting minutes do not indicate that she spoke or took any specific action during the meeting.

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee - Monday, 24th June, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 24 June 2024

Councillor Amina Ali attended the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee meeting on June 24, 2024. She declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DCI) due to her position on the THCH board, stating:

My name is Councillor Amin. I sit on the THCH board. Thank you.

Councillor Ali also seconded the proposal of Councillor Amin Rahman for Vice Chair, saying:

Yes, I'm second.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 21st May, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 21 May 2024

Amina Ali raised several key questions during the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting. She inquired about the governance of Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) and the potential instability arising from restructuring within the council's housing department. Ali also followed up on children's services, specifically concerning the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) education care plan. Drawing from personal experience with a lengthy process, she sought details on proposed early intervention strategies, their monitoring, and their impact on existing service users. Furthermore, Ali questioned the safety of maternity services at the Royal London Hospital, referencing a parliamentary inquiry and past committee work. She suggested the Mayor could initiate a local inquiry via the Partnership Executive Board and asked if the council could commission support for women using the maternity ward, particularly in light of tech and poverty factors leading to service payments.

Annual Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 15th May, 2024 7.00 p.m. - 15 May 2024

Councillor Amina Ali spoke at the Annual Meeting, expressing gratitude to the Speaker for their service during a challenging year, acknowledging their grace and calmness.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll say thank you for this year. As most of my colleagues and everyone in the ham chambers already said, it's been a very challenging year for you. And you've been a speaker with grace and you've handed it really well. And you've really been calm through much of a storm that's happened in this Council Chamber over the past year. And for that, I'm grateful.

She emphasized the importance of the Speaker's role in ensuring diverse voices are heard. However, she also shared a personal concern as the only Afro-Caribbean descent person in the chamber, feeling overlooked by the Speaker at times.

I've only got one gripe is I've had as the only Afro-Caribbean descent person in this chamber, there have been times as a speaker when I felt that maybe I wasn't given, I was overlooked by the speaker when I had my hand raised or what, you know, I wanted to speak. And I'm hoping that was just an oversight because I would not like to think that that was me not being able to speak on behalf of different communities. And I hope the new speaker is able to allow women's voices and voice of different diverse communities to be heard clearly in this chamber because I think it's important as elected members that all the voice of this borough are heard clearly because suppressing one voice is suppressing all voices. And I'm hoping that going forward, that's something that's not going to happen is chamber. And I don't no longer feel that my voice isn't being heard. I'm just hoping that doesn't happen again.

Councillor Ali expressed hope that the new Speaker would ensure all voices, including those of women and diverse communities, are heard clearly, stating that suppressing one voice is suppressing all voices. She concluded by wishing the Speaker well and thanking them for their service.

Additionally, a motion was moved and seconded to remove Councillor Amina Ali from the Human Resources Committee and add Councillor Asma Islam.

Council - Wednesday, 8th May, 2024 7.00 p.m. - 8 May 2024

During the Council meeting on May 8th, 2024, Councillor Amina Ali seconded the motion put forward by Councillor Marc Francis concerning the LGA Peer Review. She also voted 'For' on an amendment proposed by Councillor Marc Francis, but voted 'Against' an amendment by Councillor Nathalie Bienfait and the main Budget Motion moved by Mayor Lutfur Rahman and Councillor Saied Ahmed.

Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Thursday, 18th April, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 18 April 2024

Councillor Amina Ali, Deputy Leader of the Labour group and Councillor for Bow East, introduced herself and declared no interests. She raised several questions regarding the CQC inspection of maternity services at Barts, focusing on improvements in staffing, training, infection rates, and staff understanding of policies. She also inquired about the recruitment of local staff with cultural understanding and the status of the Barkantine birth center. Ali specifically asked about the government's role in lobbying for midwifery educational grants and the cultural understanding of international recruits. She further questioned the current monitoring of the Barkantine center and lessons learned from its past success. Ali also posed questions about enhancing cultural awareness among staff concerning FGM and suggested including charities serving ethnically diverse users in training sessions for direct insight. She followed up on FGM training for midwives, emphasizing the sensitive manner in which the topic is addressed during antenatal consultations to educate women about the harms associated with the practice, rather than escalating to social services. She highlighted the vital link with partners like Cyster Circle for support and advocacy through bespoke clinics, ensuring women receive culturally sensitive communication from individuals from their own backgrounds. Midwives receive annual mandatory training on FGM.

Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Tuesday, 20th February, 2024 6.30 p.m. - 20 February 2024

Councillor Amina Ali was present at the Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting on 20th February 2024, attending virtually. There is no record of her speaking or taking any action during the meeting.