Hackney Council paedophile councillor independent review

Tom Dewey was elected as a Labour De Beauvoir ward councillor in May 2022, days after the National Crime Agency raided the house he lived in as a house share with Hackney’s Mayor Philip Glanville.

Mr Glanville was suspended by Labour and later resigned after he was pictured at a Eurovision party with newly elected councillor Tom Dewey on the same day he had been informed of Dewey’s arrest.

He had previously said he had not spoken to Dewey after he was told of it.

Announcing the review at a full council meeting, deputy Mayor Anntoinette Bramble said: “I am determined that we learn from what has happened.”

She said: “We are here in unprecedented times. I want to acknowledge anyone who has been hurt or affected by this.”

She said the review will examine the decisions taken by the council in response to the arrest of the former councillor last year.

Tom Dewey is elected as De Beauvoir ward councillor in May 2022. Photo: Julia Gregory

She explained: “The review will be independent of politicians, political parties and it will be someone who isn’t affiliated to the council to assure that it will be impartial.”

She added: “Hackney Council has always prioritised safeguarding.”

Mr Dewey, 36, was later given a one-year suspended sentence after admitting possession of 1,850 indecent images of children, some dating back eight years.

Tom Dewey court snatch. Photo: Julia Gregory

Mayor Philip Glanville quit his job after seven years when it emerged he was at a party with Mr Dewey the same day the council’s chief executive told him the National Crime Agency had been in touch over safeguarding concerns.

The council is now preparing for a by-election to pick a new Mayor for the £87,000 a year role.

Tom Dewey celebrates election win as Labour councillor to De Beauvoir May 6 2022. He resigned days later and resigned from the Labour party after the council was told he had been arrested over possession of indecent images of pictures

Hackney Greens called for an independent inquiry into “who knew what and when about Mr Dewey’s arrest and what actions they took, both within the Labour Party and within the council.”

Two Labour motions were discussed first, about making Hackney a fertility friendly borough and declaring mental health a human right for all.

The council allots 30 minutes for debating motions and operates a “cab rank” system, with the first motions submitted debated.

Green councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock asked if the second motion could be put to a vote as there was clearly agreement, but was told more people wanted to speak on it.

Green leader Cllr Zoë Garbett said: “It’s a shame that they did not take the chance to speak to the motion and residents’ concerns.”

She said people have raised safeguarding concerns after learning of the Tom Dewey scandal.

“We welcome the independent review that the council has committed to. We have been calling for this since July 3," she added.

“We have been asking for more understanding about what the elected members and officers did with the information about Tom Dewey’s arrest.”