LETTER PUBLICATION: Formal Complaint of Khuram Mahmood, WMYCA Board Member

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LETTER PUBLICATION: Formal Complaint of Khuram Mahmood, WMYCA Board Member

Kashmire Hawker • 3 December 2022

I have today written to the WM Mayor and WMCA CEO, raising a formal complaint. Here's the letter.

To Andy Street CBE: Mayor of the West Midlands and Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority Board;

And Laura Shoaf MBE, Chief Executive Officer: West Midlands Combined Authority

FORMAL COMPLAINT ON THE CONDUCT OF KHURAM MAHMOOD – MEMBER OF THE WEST MIDLANDS YOUNG COMBINED AUTHORITY

Saturday December 3^rd 2022

Dear Andy and Laura,

I hope this letter finds you well and I want to firstly give personal thanks for your kind letter in September, following the conclusion of my service on the West Midlands Young Combined Authority . That period involved in being a small part in the strategic leadership of Young People across our region is one I am hugely honoured to have contributed to and with a review into the YCA’s structure complete, I know it’s future is a strong one.

With today being International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I feel immensely proud to have been of the Young Combined Authority Board as an Autistic man and be among a good number of disabled members; of whom used the Board as a strong and positive platform to shout about the rights of people like myself. Reflecting on the last three and a bit years, such a time of service has also made me grow as a person and believe that folk like me; who can sometimes struggle greatly, are able to achieve whatever they so dream.

However, part of the reason why I determined my departure date of my 25^th Birthday of September 16^th, was due to a completely unacceptable comment being made by a fellow member of the YCA Board, of which massively made me doubt what I say above and has – to be blunt, knocked my confidence considerably in trusting people and made me quickly conclude my time involved had come to a conclusion.

This was comment in the YCA’s main WhatsApp group by Khuram Mahmood, was made during whilst yourself Mr Mayor was attending and participating in a meeting of the National YCA on Monday July 18^th; a meeting of which your attendance to was much appreciated. Upon myself making some introductory remarks after the Mayor, Khuram wrote at 18:24pm the following message of “didn’t realise Kash was in attendance until Kash began orientating his Face in a peculiar motion”. One’s Autism means I can on camera look perhaps slightly awkward, but is a natural part of my body movements and therefore was taken aback his Mr Mahmood’s remark.

Fellow members quickly raised concern directly with him and checked in with me following the meeting, following which I emailed relevant to complain about a remark, which I feel could be a breach of the law. An apology from him, wasn’t received on email until July 28^th being 10 days after the remark was made, after being asked to either by staff or fellow members. I think that this being case in which he was asked to apologise and such an apology came such a period following the incident, to me is utterly unacceptable.

What also I deem unacceptable, was of Aspire’s constant demand of there being a “Resolution Meeting” – of which have put me and Khuram face-to-face to come to a solution. Knowing of the nature of the comment made and the nature of my Autism meaning such a situation would have felt extremely uncomfortable, I believe that processes were not fully followed; not least with Aspire deeming it being Case Closed as a result of me saying no to such a meeting.

On top this particular instance, Khuram has also been deemed to not correctly represented the YCA in WMCA Meetings; including within a Transport Delivery Committee meeting at some point during the 2021/2022 Municipal Year, when he was deemed Out of Order twice by the Chair. Hearing this has given me and others No Confidence in Khuram’s ability to both follow simple rules written within WMCA Procedures and a clear failure to show respect both to Board’s which I felt very lucky to engaged with and individuals.

This makes the fact he is still a WMYCA Board Member extraordinary to me and I thus would like for yourselves as the highest officers in the region, to investigate as soon as possible and through consultation with myself ensure there is a conclusion; of which I naturally feel should be the IMMEDIATE TERMINATION of Khuram’s Membership of the YCA and this being considered as part of the review of applications, for the Tender of the YCA in the new delivery Model, if Apsire4U have expressed interest.

I didn’t ever expect to have written such correspondence to you both, however I and I am sure many others will feel dismay at such an occurrence, which puts scars the excellent work done since the YCA came to being in September 2019.

I look forward to your response and contact in due course and alongside this letter being copied to relevant CA staff and the Secretariat of the National Young Combined Authority, this shall be made public via my website for the purpose of transparency and to hopefully assist in such an incident not occurring again.

Many Thanks and Kind Regards,

Kashmire DS Hawker

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Happy New Year! 2024 Review Part 2 and 2025 Look Ahead

by Kashmire Hawker • 31 December 2024

A Very Happy New Year! A few more Reflections on 2024 and a 2025 Preview

Season's Greetings and some 2024 Reflections

by Kashmire Hawker • 23 December 2024

As 2024 comes toward an end, I can say that this year for me has been one of change, one of further development and one of opening my eyes in many ways. In typing this reflection, I feel immensely satisfied and proud to have made this year my first in a full-time job without a fixed end date, in an organisation of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which has plenty of opportunities for me to consider in the coming months and years and working within in an outstanding team. I also feel hugely delighted at continuing to give my time in voluntary service, not least through Parkrun, Silverstone and in the perhaps once in a generation Champions League Final at Wembley in the Summer, as well as raise £405, in two events of the Great Birmingham Run of £130 for Cure Leukemia and £275 at the Molineux Sleepout for Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation and The Good Shepherd. On top, to have again sought office to serve my home city for a fourth year running and garnered 1,656 votes (even if not a winning total!), as well as contributed to successful wider political campaigning for my party’s and substantially expanded on my engagement in them gave me a privilege and deeper fire in the belly than ever before, in giving back to Wulfrunians. Finally, many more runs, seeing Taylor Swift, Kaiser Chiefs and The Darkness in concert, plus a sublime Musical about the pop heroes in Steps, marching at two Pride events, continuing engagement with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Solutions for the Planet and Changing Our Lives and completing a fantastic personal development programme on getting younger folk as Trustees in Arts and Cultural organisations, have all formed part of another busy 12 months. Naturally however, losing an Election and your best furry friend in my house’s dog Harley, alongside needing to help move my Mum to a safer place, all in the space of 7 weeks stung greatly in May and June. The death of a beloved dog and family member and Mum’s house move were not easy financially to deal with, but I managed it as has been the case with previous years. This year has also meant some greatly more honest and blunt conversations, which have burnt a few bridges with once seen trustworthy allies and pals. Being straight and upfront however is sometimes the best course and I don’t regret that for one moment, not least when the mind is burdened enough with day-to-day activity. Those things have definitely made me really realised that the world is a big and lonely place, and that sense of loneliness continues to affect my thoughts. This no doubt feels true and always will do at Christmas, with December 25th being the anniversary of Kieran’s passing in 2021 aged just 25 and I frankly will never know how to truly feel on the day itself. Knowing he is not here to share Christmas lunch will always put a size 9 boot dent in my heart. Having said that, I have good people around me and I give my wholehearted thanks to all for your continued support and good wishes, at what will forever be a sensitive and mournful point of the year, in my family’s life. In whatever way which you and your family mark this festive and new year period, I hope it is as enjoyable and peaceful as it possibly can be and that it gives a chance to rest and be with those closest to you, as well as embrace it being the season of giving, whether gifts or love. A further blog post, or two, on reflecting 2024 and looking ahead to 2025 shall come before the clock hits midnight next Wednesday.

Co-operative Party Youth Network Election 2024 - Candidate Statement

by Kashmire Hawker • 16 December 2024

The Co-operative Party has been a natural home for me for towards five years and gives me a brilliant platform to shout about and run on critical issues. As Chair of the Walsall, Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire, Branch and as a Labour and Co-operative candidate in Local Elections in my home City of Wolverhampton since 2021, I’m proud to make an impact and with the party’s immense expansion over the years, I would be honoured to play a bigger part. And as someone with experience in Youth Representation – most recently with the West Midlands Young Combined Authority and Labour Party wise as the current Policy and Political Education Officer for the Wolverhampton West CLP, I feel ready to use that skill set to the full. Thus, if Elected as a Youth Committee Member, I will: Help to establish a WM Young Co-operative Youth Network spread right across my region, which is not just stuck within the Metropolitan centre; Work with Labour groups across my region, for them to Elect a Co-operative Rep on to their committee s; Engage with our friends In Trade Unions, Fabians Society and The Labour Party to run joint events; whether campaigning, educational or socially; Work with colleagues to ensure events are accessible as possible, not least for Neurodiverse people ; Join Young Co-operators up and down the nation in campaignin g; And be Accountable and Transparent in my work as per the Nolan Principles, so fellow Members can question me at any moment . We have a wonderful opportunity to shape the Party’s future and with a Labour and Co-operative Government now in place, it would be a huge privilege for myself to play a part. Please vote Kashmire Hawker for Youth Committee. Thank You!