Further calls for Hounslow Mayor to resign

Darshan Grewal refuses to step down over lap dancing debacle

Following the refusal of Hounslow’s Mayor, Darshan Grewal, to stand down because of the scandal surrounding his connection to an application to open a lap dance club, councillors have gone ahead with their threat to call a Special Council meeting to demand his resignation.

Local Independent Alliance Member Peter Hills, has organised the petition to call the meeting and is the mover of the motion demanding the Mayor resigns.

Councillor Hills commented “The Mayor’s behaviour has brought his position as Hounslow’s first Citizen into disrepute. His office has now become a laughing stock. The ruling Labour Group seems happy to let him continue as if nothing has happened. However, the opposition parties believe that the Mayor’s office can only be held by someone whose reputation is beyond question. This is clearly not the position in the case of Councillor Grewal.”

Under Council rules a request has been made to the Mayor to call a special meeting. If he fails to do so then the Council’s Chief Executive is empowered to set the date.

Councillor Hills added “It will be interesting to see if the Mayor has the bottle to call the meeting. Personally, I doubt it. If the Mayor won’t jump then he needs to be pushed.”

Calls for the Mayor's resignation followed the publication of a story in a local newspaper which alleged that the Mayor's wife, Mrs Gurpreet Grewal, had applied for 'an adult entertainment' licence for the Sanson Palais club - also known as Mystique nightclub - in Bath Road, Hounslow.

The Mayor, was said to be 'stunned' that his wife's name was involved in the application and announced within hours that the application to Hounslow Council had been withdrawn claiming that he didn't think Hounslow needed it. He told the newspaper, "This would not work in Hounslow and I was not happy with the 3am licence because people need to be sleeping at that time. I am not gaining from this."

Although the Mayor admitted to "always being in the club" he claimed he had no idea how his wife's name appeared on the application. The newspaper, who published the licence application in question under the Licensing Act 2003, also alleged that the club's owner is none other than Darshan Grewal.

April 13, 2006