Havering Council Meeting: Budget Setting, 4th March 2026

There is a legal requirement that Councils have a balanced budget. This is impossible because Havering is bankrupt. Its statutory commitments can’t be funded from revenue. The strategy is to add to debts to pay revenue commitments. This is fiscal insanity as the interest can’t be paid.

Enter Chris Wilkins, Cabinet Member for Finance (13 minutes).^1,2 He declared the budget will be legally balanced because…..he’d organised more debt. The debt mountain will be £229m by 2029. Chris gives an excellent impression of being a nodding donkey. He doesn’t seem to understand what he‘s reading. A debt of £229m means interest payments will be 30% of the budget by 2029. Chris didn’t mention interest charges during his 13 minutes speech. Philip Ruck (1:31) noticed and was outraged at the sheer folly of it. Annual (unpaid) interest payments would be about £17m and would be added to the capital. Credit card maxxed out!

Keith Darvill (25) introduced the Labour amendment³ self-consciously. He was ultra-defensive and apologetic – as if he was speaking out of turn.

Michael White (36) gave a masterful speech. He demonstrated his command of the subject and critiqued HRA’s four years in a probing, forensic way. The principal highlight was his remarks about the GLA budget, which amounts to nearly 25% of the total Council Tax bill. He made play about the lack of a medium-term plan for the dire budget pressures. He worried about the impact of the Israel-USA-Iran war on interest rates. Michael made obvious remarks about relying on loans for revenue expenditure. Thus, he successfully trashed Chris’s blissful optimism.

Martin Goode (53) denounced the reliance on long-term debt to fund current expenditure. He demanded that the Council throw in the towel and face facts. He wants Government Commissioners to take over the Council. Gillian Ford (1:00) said only the section 151 officer could ask for Government assistance like this. That ought not be a problem as she had previously stated HRA was following an unsustainable strategy.

Keith Prince (1:01) has a curious flippant style, which mostly falls flat. He worried about debt and the borough’s future Council Taxpayers. Interestingly he claimed the borough’s woes were turbo-charged by the lack of detailed scrutiny. This is theoretically likely but Havering’s culture of absenteeism⁴ by councillors means more scrutiny is unlikely. Unlikely because it involves doing homework and turning up.

Ray Morgon (1:28) indulged in chit-chat. Judith Holt (1:34) pointed out special skills were needed to read a budget book 1070 pages long. Nisha Patel (1:40) did a good review of Michael’s speech reinforcing some points. Gillian Ford (1:42) had a breathless shopping list of achievements. The concept ‘strategy’ appeared many times. Brian Eagling (1:45) said that football pitches had seen fees rise yet again and that sport should be promoted. Oscar Ford (1:48) used fluent management speech. This didn’t always coincide with reality. Barry Mugglestone (1:51) was combative, which livened the meeting up. He and Keith Prince exchanged pleasantries about the Freedom Pass. They were both right, which made it more entertaining.

Jane Keane (1:56) did a Hollywood Oscar’type speech praising the Council’s staff. David Taylor (1:58) is a class act who will be badly missed. His nemesis, Andrew Rosindell, was given a quick going over. Andrew has consistently voted for the bankruptcy of Havering. Luckily he was in the chamber to enjoy David’s speech. James Glass (2:01) was demob crazy and is a loss. What he lacks in accuracy he makes up for with boyish enthusiasm.

Best speech: Michael White

Most sincere speech: Brian Eagling

Notes

1 Annotator Player All times relate to this webcast

2 Group spokesmen had 20 minutes for budget speeches. Astonishingly, Wilkins only used 13 minutes.

3 This Council calls on the Administration to introduce and promote an SME Support Package, initially, funding such a proposal from unspent UKSPF (and/or other unspent grants) seeking partnership for such a support package with organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Adult College. (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 04/03/2026 19:30 p1073

4 Havering Councillors and Their Attendance – Politics in Havering

Havering Councillors ~ ‘Carry on Defecting’

Ray Morgon created the Havering Residents’ Association (HRA).¹ They filled the power vacuum left by the Conservatives in 2022. Ray’s still in power in 2026.

The political comedy show ‘Carry on Defecting’ began immediately.

Sarah Edwards, Jacqueline McArdle and Sue Ospreay joined HRA a few weeks after being elected as Conservatives. The voters of Rainham weren’t consulted.

Jacqueline McArdle changed her mind and re-joined the Conservatives.

Phillip Ruck left HRA creating a new political party² with John Tyler. The voters of Cranham weren’t consulted.

Paul McGeary left Labour and joined HRA. He got a transfer fee via a £25,000 cabinet position.

Robby Misir joined HRA after many years as a Conservative councillor. The voters of Marshalls and Rise Park weren’t consulted.

Christine Smith joined HRA from the Conservatives, without consulting her Hylands and Harrow Lodge voters

John Crowder with his wife Phillippa Crowder defected from the Conservatives to HRA. The very first husband and wife defection in Havering’s history.

Keith Prince did ’Double-Bubble’. He joined Reform UK from the Conservatives. In one deft move he changed Squirrels Heath AND the GLA Havering and Redbridge constituency into Reform UK. Two defections for the price of one! Not everyone can do that.

Christine Vickery, also Squirrels Heath, joined Reform from the Conservatives. The only explanation was a TV opportunity with Nigel Farage.

Robert Benham, Rush Green and Crowlands, defected with Christine to Reform also from the Conservatives. He too had 15 minutes of fame and glory.

Parliament

Andrew Rosindell joined Reform in January 2026 after 25 years as a Conservative MP. His Reform constituency office is in Margaret Thatcher House, Romford just as it was when he was a Conservative.³ So, no change there then.

Politics in Havering

This is the 360^th weekly blog about Havering’s politics and it’s still difficult to understand the complexity of the political scene. Virtually none of the ‘political’ action is political in any meaningful way. There are six political groups for 55 councillors.⁴ Thirteen councillors, the GLA member and Romford’s MP have defected during the last four years. No by-elections have been called. Meanwhile the borough is bankrupt. This hasn’t been caused by stupidity but by inexorable financial pressures. Looming on the horizon are Farage’s opportunistic acolytes with their ludicrous Elon Musk version of his ‘thinking’.⁵

The democratic deficit is alive and well in Havering.

Addendum: Andrew Rosindell ~ Definitely, Maybe

Six weeks after Andrew’s defection he is still advertising the Conservative message. Perhaps he’ll follow Jacquline McArdle and change his mind? Perhaps he’s waiting for Farage’s millionaire sponsors to fund the dismantling? Who knows?

Notes

1 HRA = Havering Residents Association

2 Cranham Residents Association Independent Group

3 Andrew Rosindell: The Cuckoo in the Nest? – Politics in Havering

4 Thirteen is 24% of the total council.

5 This is a decent example of his ‘thinking’;
Reform would “attempt” not to borrow more if it took control of the cash-strapped Havering Council, Nigel Farage says. Reform Would Attempt Not To Borrow If It Takes Control Of Havering. – The Havering Daily

Andrew Rosindell: The Cuckoo in the Nest?

Andrew defected to the Reform Party UK,¹ on the 18^th January 2026. This was accomplished by a massively publicised handshake with Nigel Farage. But does he understand what he’s done?

Andrew’s fiefdom was the Romford Conservative party for 25 years. He was their ‘kingpin’. Councillors were made and broken by Andrew. His office in Margaret Thatcher House was more than it seemed. It was Andrew’s second home. During his long absence from Parliament² it gave him succour. The office address was important because Margaret Thatcher was his boyhood heroine. The resonance of being a Conservative MP in Margaret Thatcher House was very important psychologically.

Margaret Thatcher House is the headquarters of Romford’s Conservative Party. This is confirmed on their website,

Romford Conservative Association³

Margaret Thatcher House, 85 Western Road, Romford, Essex, RM1 3LS

01708 761583

office@romfordconservatives.com

Andrew defected to Reform and cut decades of ties with loyal hard-working activists. He abandoned his political base. However, Margaret Thatcher House has continued as the Conservative party headquarters without him .

Does Nigel Farage Know About This?

Does he know what he’s done? This is a bizarre question. How could he not know what he’s done?

The Parliamentary website correctly identifies him as a Reform MP. Then a mystery is turbo-charged into political fantasy. Andrew says his constituency office is,

Margaret Thatcher House
85 Western Road
Romford
RM1 3LS

Contact information for Andrew Rosindell – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament^4,5

The Reform Party UK isn’t a tenant of Margaret Thatcher House. The only political party listed are the Conservatives. Andrew is a squatter waiting for bailiffs to evict him or has his influence extended to the entire Romford Conservative Party? Has he done a reverse take-over of the Conservatives. Have they been subsumed into Reform? A Rosindell-Farage meeting, in Romford, says Yes,

“….Andrew Rosindell [said], “Today marks a new chapter for our movement in Romford and across Havering. I am delighted to welcome a number of dedicated local councillors and council candidates to Reform UK today.”⁶

Is he The cuckoo in the nest?⁷

Addendum: Farage and Rosindell in Romford 16^th February 2026

YouTube video LIVE: Nigel Farage leads Reform UK rally in Romford

Notes

1 Andrew Rosindell quits Tories and defects to Reform UK – BBC News

2 Andrew Rosindell’s Missing 21 Months – Politics in Havering

3 For the GLA elections the agent of Keith Prince – when he was a Conservative – also gave this address as opposed to personal one like everyone else. See Havering and Redbridge Constituency – Notice of Election Agents

4 Accessed 15^th February 2026

5 Romford Conservative Association | Romford | A. Smith

6 Nigel Farage unveils two new Reform defections ahead of latest rally In regard to *dedicated*, the two councillors attended five meetings between them in six months. See Councillors attendance summary, 25 August 2025 – 17 February 2026 | London Borough of Havering

7 “….an unwelcome intruder in a place or situation.” A cuckoo in the nest – Idioms by The Free Dictionary

Havering Councillors and Their Attendance

Havering’s councillors collectively have a poor attendance record for council meetings.¹In the six months to the 14^th February 2026, 55 councillors were scheduled for 374 meetings. They attended 320, which is a 14.5% absenteeism rate. The British absenteeism rate is 4.1%. A 14.5% absenteeism rate is a giant Red Flag for any employer. Obviously there are wild variations between councillors. Two councillors had severe illnesses and were given leave of absence by the council.

However

Most councillors didn’t have severe illnesses but still had appalling attendance records. Osman Dervish attended one meeting out of the seven. Carol Smith attended one of her three meetings. Damian White attended one meeting out of four. These councillors collectively attended three meetings in six months and were paid £200 per week each. This is £15,600 for nothing. It’s shameful.

However

At the other end of the scale there are dedicated councillors. There were 14 councillors who had 10+ meetings scheduled. Six had perfect attendance records. The Magnificent Six: Councillors McGeary, Morgon, Christine Smith, Summers, Taylor and Whitney.

So what?

Six years ago, Politics in Havering said Havering has too many councillors² and current attendance records backs that up. There are piles of dead wood in the council chamber who need clearing away. Ten councillors were scheduled for three meetings in six months. If they weren’t there would anyone notice? They are make-weights at best.

On previous occasions when this point has been made, outraged councillors have contacted Politics in Havering denouncing the lack understanding. Claims to be hard-working ward councillors are made but can’t be verified. All that can be verified is attendance at council meetings.

And the attendance statistics are grim.

Addendum

Keith Prince, GLA member, attended 23 meetings from a possible 28 in the last six months.³ This is 82%. Three GLA members have 100% attendance records.

Notes

1 Councillors attendance summary, 22 August 2025 – 14 February 2026 | London Borough of Havering See also Sickness absence soars to nearly two weeks per head in 2025 for national figures and analysis

2 Does Havering have too many councillors? – Politics in Havering

3 Assembly Members attendance summary, 22 August 2025 – 14 February 2026 | London City Hall

Greater London Assembly Question Time, 15th January 2026

The Beam Park Station fiasco illustrates the importance of the GLA’s regional role. The proposed station involves multiple agents. Obviously the railway system is impacted with freight trains and the passenger network affected. Timetables across the entire route will need adjusting. Then there is the economics of the station. Will there be enough additional traffic for the extra costs?

Beam Park is a massive regeneration project, which Johnson’s government shunted into oblivion along with the housing. The station is pivotal for 4,000 houses. Havering always misses its GLA housing targets and the houses would be ‘manna from heaven’.² But: No station, No house building. The ultimate Catch-22.

In a surreal bureaucratic moment, a planning application was made for……..A ticket office (November 2025).³ Not a station: Just a ticket office.

Keith Prince used his six minutes allocation at Mayor’s Question Time to raise the Beam Park Station issue.⁴ Amazingly there was an actual discussion. It’s amazing because most questions aren’t questions at all. They’re tetchy, sarcastic or rude comments. The layout of the chamber doesn’t help (see below).

Keith described the impasse: No station, No housing. The Mayor conceded Keith’s point. He said the non-station was “perverse” “ridiculous” and there was a need to, “get this done.” In a moment of joy for democrats, Keith and the Mayor agreed a temporary solution. And the solution was?

Havering’s new SuperLoop service is scheduled to begin in Rainham. Keith proposed Beam Park. The Mayor pounced on this positive proposition. The new service would alleviate part of the problem, though it isn’t a solution. It isn’t a ‘done deal’ but it sounded promising. And this is sharp improvement on the normal negativity of the Mayor’s Question Time.

Notes

1 London Assembly (Mayor’s Question Time) | London City Hall Times refer to this webcast

2 Havering faces punishment for failure to reach housing target This is a typical under-shooting and a key reason why so many Havering families are broken up as ‘children’ move to cheap areas in Essex

3 Fresh Planning Application Submitted To Havering Council For Ticket Office For Proposed Beam Park Station. – The Havering Daily

4 From 1 hour 40 to 1:44 The question was: Can you provide an update on the delivery of Beam Park Station? Keith Prince is the GLA councillor for Havering and Redbridge.

Andrew Rosindell’s Political Journey, 1980-2026

Timeline

Andrew was a councillor between 1990 and 2002. He spent 12 years getting control of Romford Conservatives and has been a backbench MP since 2001. Andrew panicked when his majority collapsed by 82% in 2024.¹

Political Calculations

The Reform party is the first viable third party since the 1920s. Unlike Farage’s UKIP and Brexit, Reform is the real thing. In 2024, Reform’s unknown candidate got 9,624 votes in Romford. Romford is now a marginal seat, and Andrew doesn’t have a ‘job for life’.

But what is Andrew joining?

Nigel Farage owned the Reform Party until recently,

“….[it] was founded in 2018 as a private limited company, with Farage holding the majority of shares.²

Reform doesn’t have policies. Farage’s previous efforts were pressure groups in drag. Reform’s current policies mimic Trump and Musk. Musk’s DOGE policy³ was endorsed in their 2025 local election campaign. Successful Reform groups tried, and failed, to implement DOGE.⁴

Reform voters were seduced by a slick PR campaign. The reality is more-of-the-same with ex-Conservative councillors in control. This is disappointing for voters hoping for a novelty.

Andrew knows this.

So, what happened in January 2026 to get Andrew to risk everything? Perhaps Suella Braverman offers a hint. She

“…..referred to homelessness as a “lifestyle choice”, who called pro-Palestinian marches “hate marches”…..who suggested asylum seekers were “pretending to be gay” to claim protection, a hard-right Conservative has joined Farage’s ‘people’s party’.⁵

She’s joined Reform. Reform don’t have policies but do have a direction of travel and Andrew wants to go there. He approves of Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick.⁶ Andrew wants red-meat right-wing policies, which persecute people he doesn’t like.

And that’s a lot of people.

The Downside

Andrew believes Romford’s voters voted for him. He’s oblivious to the implications of the 2024 result. Andrew ‘lost’ 9,624 votes to a complete unknown and 13,876 to Labour. 2029 will be a three-way election. Andrew is an ex-Conservative who won’t have the support he’s used to after 36 years of belonging to the Romford party and electioneering is his comfort zone. Campaigning in 2029 as a Reform candidate will be a challenge for him. And it isn’t difficult to imagine the leaflets by ex-colleagues who think he is treacherous.

Farage relies on charisma, which has a shelf-life. His money-grubbing tactics repel many voters. Voters resent politicians who line their own pockets. Andrew works hard and has a great reputation, but he’ll be tarred with the Farage brush. Reform is an abnormal political party. It’s a fiefdom. If Reform get critical mass, Farage will have severe problems because he isn’t a team player.

Conclusion

Andrew’s political journey matches that of Britain. The 1980s saw Margaret Thatcher’s policy driven Conservatism, which has shaped Britain ever since. Her Conservatism has been replaced by shameless ‘Get-rich-quick’ opportunists. Andrew is a hard-working MP. Farage rarely goes to his constituency and is wedded to Donald Trump’s utter disdain for morality.

Notes

1 General Election 2024: Results | London Borough of Havering

2 Nigel Farage gives up ownership of Reform UK – BBC News

3 Elon Musk’s cost-cutting at DOGE has been a colossal failure. But he has achieved something more dangerous | The Independent

4 Reform’s “DOGE” is a superficial response to deep problems in local government | Institute for Government

5 Former home secretary Suella Braverman defects to Reform UK | Suella Braverman | The Guardian

6 Robert Jenrick claims cartoons mural removed from asylum centre were ‘not age-appropriate’ | The Independent He wanted to make an asylum centre for children more threatening and less welcoming.

Havering Council Meeting, 21st January 2026 (part two)

After the break, opposition councillors came into the chamber like lions. They were transformed from being supine and acquiescent into decision-makers. It was all rather wonderful. It’s taken four years for them to fulfil their principal role of critically scrutinising the Administration. Better late than never.

What happened? HRA put an emergency motion on the Order Paper on the morning of the meeting,

This Council recommends a revision of the Mercury Land Holding business plan, to focus the company on delivering much needed affordable housing and driving down temporary accommodation costs, once it has reached its breakeven number of properties.¹(my emphasis)

Mercury Land Holdings is a multi-million pound company owned and controlled by Havering council. The motion calls for ‘revision’ of the business plan. There were no papers and councillors were asked to blindly trust the Administration.

But was it an emergency?

On the 3^rdSeptember, 2025 this Conservative motion was passed,

This Council recommends a revision of the Mercury Land Holdings business plan, to focus the company on delivering much needed social homes and driving down temporary accommodation costs. (my emphasis).²

HRA’s emergency motion was nonsense. They’ve had five months to create a new business plan for Mercury Land Holdings which pivots towards social housing.

The charge was led by Keith Prince (59 minutes)³ who described the emergency motion as an ‘abuse of Council’. I thought that was restrained. Ray Morgon said that social housing wasn’t viable. He’s very trusting. That is the patter used by building companies to avoid social housing.

The legal officer dived in and firmly said the motion was an emergency because a budget has to be written shortly. He didn’t remark it was a self-inflicted wound.

This so-called emergency motion was a disgrace. Ray Morgon has been badly let down by Graham Williamson who should have had urgent meetings during September 2025 to discuss the consequences of the motion.⁴ He always seems flaky and now this is proof that he is disengaged from his responsibilities.

The meeting ended at 11:15 with a shambolic ‘singing’ of the National Anthem.

Notes

1 (Public Pack)SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA Agenda Supplement for Council, 21/01/2026 19:30

2 “….the motion by the Conservative Group was AGREED as the substantive motion by 25 votes to 22 (see division 4)”. (Public Pack)Minutes Document for Council, 03/09/2025 19:30

3 Annotator Player times relate to this webcast. Keith had support from Michael White, John Tyler, Martin Goode, and David Taylor. David made the initial passionate speech, in September 2025, which triggered the overwhelming Opposition vote. Interestingly the only councillor lawyer, Keith Darvill, was silent. Why?

4 The meeting ended in stalemate with the motion being progressed to the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee where there will be papers available. This by-passes the desire that the motion be passed on ‘trust’. There maybe an emergency Council meeting to make a substantive decision.

Havering’s Council Meeting, 21st January 2026 (part one)

Question Time (QT)

Councillors instructed ChatGPT to ask Family Friendly questions.

Sounds Familiar?

Q2 Jane Keane¹ asked about CCTV. Barry Mugglestone said it defeated crime.

Q3 Darren Wise asked about parking tickets. Barry said they were wonderful.

Q5 Judith Holt asked about parking fees in Hornchurch. Barry is working hard to please everyone.

Q6 Trevor McKeever asked about speeding. Barry said enforcement is for the police.

Q7 Martin Goode asked about potholes. They are being repaired quickly and effectively Barry said, without a blush.

Q8 Judith Holt asked about Visitor Parking Permits. Barry said the system worked beautifully.

Q10 Christine Vickery asked about Gallows Corner. Barry said he’d do whatever she wanted but she might regret what she wished for.

Q14 Viddy Persaud asked about traffic monitoring. Barry said she could have whatever she wanted. But she’d forgotten what she’d asked for.

Q15 Nisha Patel asked about parking enforcement. Barry worried about elderly people putting a ‘O’ in the machine instead of a Zero. But cheerfully said he couldn’t do anything about it.

Barry sat down for the 20^th time looking tired and happy.

Killer Questions

A killer question is one where every answer is wrong. These are perfect for pre-election QTs because answers can be publicised.

Q1 Dilip Patel asked about asylum seeker accommodation. This is a toxic question. Natasha Summers said she’d rejected the government’s request for accommodation. Dilip looked disappointed.

Q4 Keith Prince asked about unauthorised gypsy/traveller sites. Ray Morgon said officers were like bloodhounds seeking them out and were closing them with alacrity. Keith mocked this. He quoted the Daily Mail as evidence that Havering is overwhelmed with unauthorised sites. Ray said he didn’t read the Daily Mail.

Q11 Keith Darvill asked about housing allocations. Natasha Summers said they were on track. Keith said two years delay was unacceptable. Natasha said it was a software problem, and everyone was convinced.

Q13 David Taylor asked about temporary housing on the Waterloo Estate. Graham Williamson waffled. And that’s a multi-million pound scandal buried. A housing estate has been demolished and replaced by 18 temporary homes for the foreseeable future. Foreseeable means years, by the way.

Conclusion

The administration is lucky no-one knows how to use a killer question.

Note

1 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 21/01/2026 19:30 QT times relate to this webcast

A Comparison of Havering and Redbridge Secondary Schools, 2025

It is reasonable to compare Havering and Redbridge as they are outer-London boroughs with the same number of secondary schools. They are politically linked being a single GLA constituency.

The government highlights the achievement of GCSE Grades 5-9 in English and Mathematics. These subjects are the gateway to post-16 opportunities and are the Gold Standard. It is imperative students achieve these grades.

The majority of Redbridge and Havering’s schools exceed the national average (see Appendix tables One and Two below). Redbridge has 14 schools achieving the Gold Standard whilst Havering has 11. On balance, Redbridge’s schools are qualitatively superior to Havering’s. Redbridge has two selective schools which hoover up the most talented 11+ students. Redbridge has six out of the top ten positions for achievement, whilst Havering has all five of the worst achieving schools. These positions have been stable for a number of years, which is worrying for Havering’s students.¹

Note

1 Havering and Redbridge’s Secondary Schools: A Comparison, 2024 – Politics in Havering

APPENDIX: 2025 GCSE Grades 5-9 English and Mathematics

Table One: Above the National Average (Redbridge in italics)

*Woodford County*	98.9%
*Ilford County*	97.2%
*Valentines*	75.3%
Coopers Coburn	70.8%
*Seven Kings*	70.5%
Sacred Heart of Mary	70%
*Trinity Catholic*	64.7%
*Ark Isaac Newton*	64.6%
Royal Liberty	64.6%
Campions	62.3%
*Ursuline Catholic*	61.5%
Hornchurch High	61.4%
*Wanstead*	61.1%
*Loxford*	59.9%
*Beal*	59.4%
Gaynes	58.8%
*Woodbridge*	58.3%
*Oaks Park*	57.2%
*Chadwell Heath*	53.9%
Hall Mead	51%
Harris Academy Rainham	50.3%
Redden Court	48.6%
St Edwards	48.6%
*Palmers*	46.9%
Frances Bardsley	45.7%
National Average	45.2%

Table Two: Below the National Average

National Average	45.2%
Abbs Cross	45.1%
Emerson Park	43.5%
*Caterham*	43.3%
*King Solomon*	41.7%
*Forest*	37.1%
*Mayfield*	36.6%
Drapers	34.6%
Marshalls Park	32.7%
Bower Park	31.4%
Sanders Draper	30.7%
Brittons	27.1%

Havering’s Secondary Academies and their Disadvantaged Students, 2025

The government publishes an annual set of education statistics with GCSE grades 5-9¹ highlighted. These ‘Gold Standard’ results are the foundation for post-16 education. The Attainment Gap is the underachievement of disadvantaged students in relation to the non-disadvantaged.² The legal definition of a ‘Disadvantaged Student’ is one who has free school meals and/or is a ‘Looked After Child’.

Is the Attainment Gap Inevitable?

Disadvantaged students, in general, do badly at GCSE. The Mossbourne Group³ have adopted severe discipline as a tactic for rectifying underachievement. This tactic is loved by some parents and hated by others. The first group are aspirational and those hating it often have SEND children who suffer in an unforgiving stmosphere.⁴ Mossbourne’s schools are focused on the Gold Standard. Havering’s academies mimic Mossbourne in only one respect – draconian rules on uniform.⁵ Havering’s academies have petty ‘zero tolerance’ policies. They don’t embrace Mossbourne’s agenda, which is gruelling for teachers.

Mossbourne’s successes are matched by Royal Liberty.⁶ However Mossbourne has 52% disadvantaged students as against Royal Liberty’s 19%. In Havering only Brittons has Mossbourne’s level of deprivation. Brittons has very poor GCSE results (see Appendix below). Seven of Havering’s academies have an 80%+ fail rate for Gold Standard GCSEs for disadvantaged students. Discouragingly every academy is below the Havering average for non-disadvantaged students. Havering’s academies fail disadvantaged students.

The attainment gap isn’t inevitable. Havering’s academies are unable, or unwilling, to change to meet the challenge.

The Human Cost

Using Royal Liberty as a benchmark, comparative outcomes are appalling.⁷Sanders Draper had 23 disadvantaged candidates in 2025. Three achieved the Gold Standard. Another five students would have achieved the Gold Standard if they’d attended Royal Liberty.⁸ Five students were harmed by Sanders Draper in 2025.

Brittons had 70 disadvantaged students for GCSE in 2025. If Royal Liberty’s outcome is used, this gives Brittons 36 Gold Standard passes. They actually achieved 12. Statistically 24 more students could have achieved the Gold Standard. 24 students were harmed by attending Brittons.

The same story is repeated in 15 Havering academies to a lesser degree.

Conclusion

It’s shameful that Havering consistently fails the most vulnerable of their young people. A grim counsel of despair permeates the borough’s academies. Havering’s academies are in denial. The majority of disadvantaged students fail to achieve their potential. This is a tragedy with huge implications for their future lives.

Notes

1 Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College – Compare school and college performance data in England – GOV.UK This is the first in the list for Havering. Drill down to get the school you want.

2 ‘Disadvantaged’ means they have free school meals or are ‘Looked After’.

3 Results by pupil characteristics – Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy – Compare school and college performance data in England – GOV.UK This is an inner-city school

4 Mossbourne’s draconian ‘punishment no matter what’ regime linked to pupils’ self-harm and disproportionately targeted Black boys with harsh sanctions, damning report reveals – Hackney Citizen Compare this, Four Outstanding Schools and Disadvantaged Students | Odeboyz’s Blog

5 School Blazers: A Stealth Tax on Education? – Politics in Havering

6 Royal Liberty 51.9% of their disadvantaged students got the Gold Standard; Mossbourne 56.6%

7 Obviously they are even worse if Mossbourne’s statistics are used.

8 This is reductionist but gives a direction of travel.

APPENDIX: 2025 GCSE Grades 5-9 English and Mathematics: Disadvantaged students

School	Percentage
Havering Average – non-disadvantaged students	54.2%
Royal Liberty	51.9
Hornchurch High	44.7
Coopers Coburn	44.4
Gaynes	40
Hall Mead	38.2
Sacred Heart of Mary	36.4
St Edwards	35.3
Campions	33.3
Abbs Cross	31.4
Harris Academy Rainham	28.3
Emerson Park	25.6
Frances Bardsley	19.6
Drapers	19.2
Marshalls Park	18.6
Redden Court	18.6
Bower Park	17.2
Brittons	17.1
Sanders Draper	13