This page was last edited at 1750 GMT in London on Friday 29 August 2008
KHOODEELAAR! will continue to examine the pro-Crossrail hole plot role played by certain councillor [!] on Tower Hamlets Council under covers of 'opposition', which has been a sham sham sham............ all the way....
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24dash website
"Tower Hamlets denies imposing Ramadan request on council staff
Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Local Government
Friday 29th August 2008 - 11:34am
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Tower Hamlets denies imposing Ramadan request on council staff
A council today denied asking non-Muslim staff to observe Ramadan by not eating or drinking during meetings.
Bosses at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have urged staff to show "courtesy" to Muslim colleagues during the festival next month.
But some councillors have argued that the wishes of Muslim staff are being imposed on their non-Muslim colleagues.
A memo was sent to councillors asking them not to eat until special Iftar refreshment packs, designed for Muslims breaking their fast at sunset, were served.
Some councillors said the memo was urging them not to eat during sunset hours, but the council today denied this and explained that the memo had been worded badly.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims worldwide fast from sunrise to sunset.
A memo was sent to all staff which read: "It is requested that members do not partake of any refreshment until after the Iftar refreshments are served."
The authority today strongly denied the claims that all staff had been told to follow rules governing Ramadan, including suggestions that councillors would be stopped from consuming drinks and biscuits during meetings.
A spokeswoman said the memo had been intended to stop non-Muslims eating the Iftar packs.
She said: "At no stage have we imposed Ramadan arrangements on all staff and to say we have stopped staff having tea and biscuits is wrong.
"A memo was sent and we acknowledge it may have been worded slightly better.
"Whatever is normally provided during meetings before Ramadan will still be there during it."
Stephanie Eaton, leader of the council's Liberal Democrats, said the wording of the memo had caused problems.
She explained: "It seems that the council are backpedalling, they should be a bit more careful about what they say.
"I am more than happy for the requirements to be put in place for Muslim staff observing Ramadan, but I was unhappy about these provisions being extended to all staff.
"I took the memo to mean that no food or water could be consumed during daylight hours while at the council."
The council spokeswoman added: "There is absolutely no suggestion that during Ramadan non-Muslim councillors have been asked to refrain from eating or drinking when Muslims are observing the fast.
"As normal, water will be provided at council meetings taking place during Ramadan.
"Tea, coffee, Iftar packs and non-Iftar snacks will be available in a separate room.
"All that's being asked for is courtesy to be shown to the sensitivities around some councillors eating during the council meetings while others in the room are fasting."
She said: "Non-Muslim councillors have simply been asked to ensure that there is Iftar food available for Muslim councillors, because in previous years, Muslim councillors wanting to break their fast following prayers had found that Iftar packs had been eaten."
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