Havering Council is consulting the public about the 2021-22 budget proposals.* Most people won’t respond because the majority of the Council’s budget is decided by the government. The consultation is marginal at best. Many big budget items are subject to inter-borough agreements, which can’t be altered because of contractual arrangements.
Havering’s Conservative party manifesto, 2018, said they’d oppose any attempt to curtail or restrict it. [Freedom Pass]” Two years later, the elderly can’t use the Freedom Pass before 9 a.m. This is because of the Covid-19 settlement between the GLA and the government. Naturally the Mayor blames the government and local Conservatives blame the Mayor. Both are ludicrous. The pandemic has changed everything and this is a minor irritation.**
The pandemic has reduced usage and the Council has benefited.
“The usage of freedom passes has understandably reduced dramatically in the current year. Future year settlements with TFL are negotiated with the previous year’s pass usage as one of the key factors. The reduced figures are therefore likely to result in an estimated £850k reduction in the cost of the freedom pass for 2021/22. The reduction is expected to continue through 2022/23 but it should be noted that costs are then forecast to rise significantly in 2023/24 as usage returns to normal.”*** (my emphasis)
Havering’s annual Freedom Pass budget is about £8 million. Dramatic savings could be achieved by negotiating with 32 boroughs and leaving the inter-borough travel concession. Havering has about 50,000 Freedom Pass holders who vote. I wouldn’t expect a saving to be made on this budget item. Would you?
Notes
* Council asks for residents’ views on proposed budget | The London Borough Of Havering
** Freedom Pass | | The Havering Daily A woman complaining she had to pay her fare to go to work.
*** (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Cabinet, 25/11/2020 19:30 (havering.gov.uk) para4:4 p14
Sources
For checks about entitlement in Havering see Freedom pass deadline | The London Borough Of Havering
For a discussion about the Freedom Pass see Freedom Pass funding under threat › Transport for all › Accessible Transport in London
Politics in Havering 
A typical Tory thought of throttling vulnerable people.
I give another example:
As we residents on Crow Lane/Jutsums Lane are fed up from scrap metal lorries illegal parking everywhere. Last week we received an email from Head of Enforcement officer said that they are thinking using public funds (2021 budget) to create lorry parking at the place of only Pay Parking spaces next to Romford Cemetery. They are going to gift the money and that space to Crow Metals scrap business. This all will be in favour of local people who oppose this business and illegal parking of scrap metal lorries. I can show the email if anyone wants to see, please email or message me as we are allowed to share the correspondence with locals. Council will move all the utility accesses (gas, electric and water etc. a bit further and will make footpath less wider, resurface the the road and footpath. This the only Pay Parking near cemetery that being used by the people who come to visit cemetery. Rest everywhere Resident Permit Bays restrictions apply.
17/12/2020
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