Oxford deputy mayor spoken to by police over lockdown meeting

Mohammed Altaf-Khan has previously been Oxford's Lord Mayor

Police have spoken to Oxford's deputy lord mayor and others after they met at a mosque amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Councillor Mohammed Altaf-Khan organised a meeting at the Central Oxford Mosque in Cowley on 27 May, an email sent to the BBC suggests.

In response, Mr Altaf-Khan said the meeting was organised to discuss management issues and to resolve "activities going on".

Thames Valley Police said no fines had been levied or arrests made.

A spokeswoman said officers had "spoken to the relevant individuals involved in this meeting and have reminded them of the government regulations".

Mr Altaf-Khan told the BBC the trustees of the mosque met to discuss a "dispute" between two groups of management about a "number of projects", including "some building work" being carried out.

The Liberal Democrat councillor added the meeting, in which he said social distancing guidelines were followed, was also to raise concerns people were attending the site to "socialise".

He said: "This meeting was organised to say that you should come to this agreement.....you should keep the mosque shut, you should hold all the projects.

"I raised the issue why there were activities going on there."

Ajaz Rehman, Labour's city council candidate for Lye Valley, was also one of the mosque's trustees who attended the meeting.

The BBC was sent an email regarding the meeting a the Central Oxford Mosque

Oxford City Council said it was aware of the "allegations" against Mr Altaf-Khan but said the matter was for the police to investigate.

The council said people had been "legitimately present" in the mosque in Manzil Way throughout Ramadan to prepare food parcels for vulnerable people.

A spokesman said personal protective equipment (PPE) was provided to people working on the project to distribute food to those on the local authority's shielding list.

Thames Valley Police said now lockdown restrictions had been eased, members of the public "have a greater responsibility in following guidance".