Lambeth Council announces new interim Director of Legal and Governance

Lambeth Council has announced that Tasnim Shawkat will be joining the organisation as the borough’s new interim Director of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Ms Shawkat has previously worked for three different county councils, a unitary authority and four London councils, as well as having been a Monitoring Officer since 2006.

Under a secondment arrangement Ms Shawkat, who is currently joint Director of Law at Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council, will be working at Lambeth Council for three days a week from November 1.

Andrew Travers, Lambeth's Chief Executive, said: “Tasnim has a very strong track record in local government and will prove to be a vital asset for the council and the borough as we look to the future. There are many challenges ahead, not least of all continuing to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, rebuilding for the future and tackling the persistent and long-term inequality still impacting on too many people in the borough.

“Her appointment will continue the real professionalism brought to our legal service by Alison who has helped ensure that our democratic process are robust and better serves elected Members in the scrutiny of the council’s work.”

Ms Shawkat joins Lambeth following the announcement in May that Alison Kane had decided to retire as Director of Legal and Governance after 25 years at Lambeth council.

Alison Kane started her local government career at the council in 1995 as an employment lawyer on what was a three-month agency contract. She was appointed to the role of Head of Legal Services in 2012, and then Director of Legal & Governance in 2016.

She will be remaining in place as Monitoring Officer during a month’s hand-over period, with Tasnim taking that aspect of the role up from December 1.

Adam Carey