Havering Council: Damian White gets power, May 2018

Because Havering doesn’t have Proportional Representation, Romford Conservatives rule the roost. Out of 207,311 votes cast, the Conservatives had 37% of the vote (75,008) giving them 25 seats. Damian White, Leader of the Council, found himself without a majority. Tinkering with the allowance budget solved this problem.¹

Resident Association (RA) councillors love over-hanging branches, cracked pavements, broken street lights and untidy bin collections and they’re politically naive. Damian understood this and knew the RAs were his route to a majority.

John Mylod (St Andrews) fell out with fellow RAs. He joined the Conservatives to Damian’s delight and split the RA vote, keeping his seat.

John Mylod: Chair of Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Responsibility Allowance £14,418 (All members get a councillors allowance of £10,208 p.a. in addition to a responsibility payment)

Michael Deon-Burton (S. Hornchurch) was elected as an Independent and two days later became a Conservative. Michael then took the offer of a glittering prize.

Michael Deon-Burton: Deputy Mayor – Responsibility Allowance £4,000

But John and Michael weren’t enough. Damian needed more. Three Harold Wood RAs were a juicy prize. The three RAs support the Conservatives so Havering can have a strong and stable administration.

Brian Eagling: Chair of Highways Advisory Committee – Responsibility Allowance £7,650

Martin Goode: Chair of Audit Committee – Responsibility Allowance £7,650

Darren Wise: Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Responsibility Allowance £14,418

Damian’s political cunning strengthened his position in the Romford Conservative party. He’s now being tested by the Melvin Wallace affair. Which RA is next in line for his seductive ploys if Melvin goes maverick? An elderly RA bed-blocker who fancies a supplement to their pension? I’ll bet Damian knows.

1 See http://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/s30715/Report%20-%20Special%20Responsibility%20Allowances.pdf for the full details.

Havering Councillor: Melvin Wallace (Squirrels Heath)

Melvin is alleged to have committed a sexual assault on former councillor, Linda Trew. The alleged low key sexual assault was humiliating and unpleasant. This has presented Damian White, Leader of the Council, with a double-edged sword. Presumably that’s why it has taken the Conservatives 25 months to eject Melvin from the party.

Is Damian delighted about Melvin’s moral implosion? One benefit is losing an older ‘colleague’. Damian can infiltrate one of Andrew Rosindell’s cronies into a safe seat. As Andrew’s consigliere this will further enhance his position. This is a genuine bonus in Romford Conservative internal politics. But …… a downside is Melvin could turn sulky. Damian’s reliance on three Harold Wood Resident Association members would increase. Brian Eagling might become a street fighter, actively using his new found position. Therefore Melvin’s political power is, perversely, enhanced.

Damian knows all of this. He’s dragged out the ‘naughty boy’ decision as long as possible. It’s now January 2019, 25 months since Linda suffered at Melvin’s hands. Political calculation has finally met the road block of reality and Damian has acted. Melvin is out but still in the Chamber and Damian doesn’t have a majority.

Theresa May’s desperate bid to win the vote of no confidence in December 2018 saw her reinstate the whip to two disgraced MPs. Perhaps Damian will follow suit with Melvin?

Havering MPs and the Brexit Vote 15th January 2019

Theresa May’s reverse Midas touch continues with her crushing defeat in the Brexit Vote. Amazingly she has, however, managed to unite the three Havering MPs who all voted the same way – though for different reasons.

Jon Cruddas: Jon is a heavyweight intellectual with a Ph.D in economics. A left-centre politician, he noticed that every Brexit option made British people worse off. However, the 2016 referendum demanded Brexit and so he is looking for the least worst option. Theresa’s isn’t the least worse option and so he voted Against.

Julia Lopez: Julia isn’t an economist and she believes that WTO trading regulations are benign. She’s mistaken. The British economy is a ‘roll-on, roll-off’ economy dependent on frictionless movement of goods. 10,000 lorry movements per day at Dover couldn’t continue in a frictionless manner with custom and excise checks. Julia did, rightly, note¹ that the referendum is the cuckoo that has destroyed our parliamentary tradition of representative government. Julia voted Against.

Andrew Rosindell: Andrew doesn’t care about economics as he believes that our trading partners feel privileged to take our goods and services. Therefore WTO deals are a piece of cake with foreign countries lining up to trade with us. Anything other than a ‘No Deal’ Brexit is treachery for Andrew and therefore he voted Against.

Three Havering MPs and three separate reasons for rejecting Theresa’s Brexit deal. Obviously looking for leadership from parliament is a waste of time and there should be a new referendum. This time without the lies.

1 Julia’s speech 11^th January in the debate is on her Tweet page. On the same day Andrew made an entertaining speech in the debate. His speech is on Twitter.

Havering Councillor: Roger Ramsey (Emerson Park)

Roger is a nice old gentleman who’s fallen in with a bad crowd. He became a councillor 41 years ago and was Leader between 1984 and 1990. In the 1980s he was a One Nation Tory. During that period he was repelled by Margaret Thatcher and famously did a ‘sit-in’ during a Stalinist* standing ovation for her. Little did he know that a Romford teenager would become his mortal enemy. Andrew Rosindell (now MP for Romford) was in love with Margaret.

Roger found out he had an enemy in 2006 when he wasn’t elected Leader but a Rosindell acolyte, talentless but loyal, was elected. The bizarre politics of Havering means Romford is the only reliable area for Conservatives. Havering councils are always dominated by their members. As time has gone on, the Havering Conservative group has shrunk to a Romford cabal. Roger is necessary to show ‘inclusion’.

Roger became Leader again following the UKIP incursion in 2014, which left the Conservatives in second place behind a motley crew of Resident Association members. The extremist Romford Conservatives were toxic to the RAs and Roger was the only acceptable Conservative. The 2018 election meant Romford once again asserted its power and Roger lost the leadership to Damian White. Damian is another acolyte of Andrew.

Roger kept a cabinet position but the agenda is set by Andrew and Damian. Once again he’s a puppet. As an elderly millionaire you wonder how he can take the humiliation. £38,000 p.a. is nice but is it enough to make a difference to him? Surely not.

Roger should rescue his dignity and resign.

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDkUYbCSZro This is a 13 minute standing ovation and is well worth the title of Stalinist.

Havering Education: Abbs Cross School Behaviour Policy 2017-9

Abbs Cross school behaviour policy is defensive. What’s demonstrated is a tragic wasted opportunity for having a positive rewards policy embedded within its behaviour policy. This would be alongside and carrying equal weight to the rule directed policy presently existing. Abbs Cross has had a good Ofsted (see addendum two), which provides a platform to build on now that they’ve put their ‘inadequate’ status behind them.

The Behaviour Policy of Abbs Cross school runs to eight pages.¹

The Aims (p2) include:

To promote Student Voice in regard to Behaviour for Learning expectations and Rewards (bullet point 6: my emphasis).

The Statement of General Principles (pp2-3) has 20 statements only one of which is a token nod at rewards-
Will support, praise and as appropriate reward students’ behaviour.
There’s lavish detail on control but the positive side of motivation is absent. This is counter-intuitive as students react well to rewards whereas punishment can create resentment and further disruptive behaviour.

The negative tone extends to parents/carers. Student and parental misconduct is highlighted (pp2-3) along with indicated draconian action.² Later (p6) parents/carers who bring drugs, alcohol and weapons are reminded that this is against school rules. School rules aren’t being broken: laws are being broken.

Under the heading General Expectations(p6) there are 17 descriptive statements (addendum one). At first glance they wouldn’t be out of place in a Victorian factory or prison. They’re prescriptive and, in many respects, petty. They can also be repetitive – compare point 2 in ‘General Expectations’ and point 5 in ‘Students are expected.’

The Ofsted Report, September 2017, (see addendum two) is quite clear that the school is doing well in regard to behaviour. Doubtless the ‘Inadequate’ status was bruising but it’s time for the school to move on. The Behaviour Policy should be reviewed making it more effective so that the elusive ‘outstanding’ status is achieved.

Addendum one: General Expectations

Be punctual to school and to all lessons
Be smart in appearance and in full correct uniform
Be prepared and fully equipped for all lessons including bringing PE kit when needed
Be responsible for the school environment
Be safe
Be kind, polite and careful
Be motivated to learn
Be respectful

Students are expected:

To arrive at school by on time with the correct books and equipment for the day
To respect others and their property
To respect the building and grounds
To follow directions
To wear correct school uniform as outlined in the schools Uniform policy
To move around the school on the left in an orderly manner
To carry their diary with them and to use it appropriately
To complete homework and hand it in on time
To stay healthy

Addendum two: Ofsted Report³

Behaviour

The behaviour of pupils is good.

Leaders have done much to improve behaviour and their hard work has paid off. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is consistently good. Behaviour is especially strong when pupils move between lessons where they walk calmly from one classroom to another. Similarly, pupils behave well during break and lunchtimes. As a result, there is very little disruption around the school and pupils get to their lessons on time. Pupils are polite and courteous and relationships between pupils and staff are respectful. This ensures that there is a positive climate right across the school that encourages learning.

Pupils are clear that bullying is rare and that it hardly ever happens. They confirm that behaviour has improved in the last few years and that bullying is no longer a problem. However, pupils are confident that if there was any bullying it would be dealt with effectively by teachers and leaders.

Procedures to check pupils’ attendance and follow up absence are secure. The reorganisation of the pastoral care system has helped to ensure that these procedures work effectively. As a result, attendance has improved and is in line with other schools in England.

1 http://www.abbscross.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Behaviour-Policy-DUE-SPRING-2019.pdf

2 http://www.loxfordschooltrust.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Exclusions-Statement-March-2019.pdf

3 https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2730969

Havering Council: Havering’s Budget proposals 2019

Damian White, Leader, and Roger Ramsey, Finance, are extremists. They worship austerity. This year they’ve excelled themselves by attacking the bereaved, the disabled and the volunteer sector.

The Bereaved: Against officers’ coded advice Damian and Roger have forgotten the fable of the Golden Goose. Havering’s crematorium is the most expensive in Essex and London. Their cunning plan is to make it more expensive.¹ Damian and Roger have created a Death Tax for Havering.

The Disabled: Against officers’ coded advice who point out that those with disabilities tend to be unemployed Damian and Roger’s plan is to reduce the council tax subsidy.²The outcome will increase food bank dependency.

The Volunteer Sector: Council tax subsidies are given to the sector. This is to be reduced. Officers point out that this activity brings £200 million a year into Havering. Damian and Roger’s plan is to damage this sector and punish hundreds of unpaid volunteers. And redirect charitable donations to paying extra council tax instead of the activity where it should be going!³

Damian and Roger are ignoring the advice of Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who suggested that 6% was a suitable increase in council tax to maintain services. Damian and Roger have opted for a lower figure instead because they ‘know’ better than the Chancellor.

The self-imposed saving equates to about £3 million. The increased charges for the bereaved is £75,000 if they don’t lose ‘business’ which is entirely likely. The Volunteer Sector saving is about £1.1 million. The disabled will be expected to pay an additional £1.15 a week.⁴ (This hasn’t been aggregated into a total figure in the council papers.)

Damian and Roger are destroying services because they’re extremists. Perhaps Harold Wood councillors Brian Eagling, Martin Goode and Darren Wise should have a quiet word?

1 See http://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/s27445/Appendix%20A%20Final.pdf especially pages 2, 160 and 173

2 See http://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/g5953/Public%20reports%20pack%2025th-Jul-2018%2019.30%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10 p157

3 See http://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/s16257/voluntary-sector-strategy.pdf p5 and p8

http://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/s32754/Update%20of%20the%20Councils%20MTFS%20Budget%20for%202019-20%20Appendix%20E.pdf

Chris

Havering MP: Andrew Rosindell and prison reform

Right-wing extremist* Andrew relies on prejudice for his opinions . He doesn’t worry about evidence. Evidence gets in the way of prejudice. His recent, 27th Dec 2018, tweet is a good example of his ‘thinking’. David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, has evidence that fewer prisoners re-offend if they’re allowed to have contact with their loved ones- Yes, Andrew, even criminals have loved ones. Gauke’s informed decision is that criminals should have access to phones in an easier and more convenient way than at present.

Andrew’s reply:-

I thought the idea of being sent to jail was to punish criminals and take away their freedom and creature comforts? Prison becomes less of a deterrent when the authorities do things like this. What about the welfare of the victims?

Andrew isn’t worried about unrest in the prisons, criminal gangs controlling access to phones, or re-offending. Andrew is a red-meat politician where thought isn’t required. Which is just as well isn’t it?

Chris

*Quoting Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Andrew’s long-time parliamentary colleague