Havering was ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, which killed nearly a thousand people and hospitalised thousands more. The Health and Wellbeing Board is the forum for discussing such things calmly with experts. There were three meetings of the Board, at the height of the pandemic, between January and March 2021. The Board has four senior councillors, and health professionals.1 Damian White, Leader of the Council, his deputy Robert Benham, Jason Frost, chair of the Board and Nisha Patel are the four councillors.
There are monthly meetings, so information is always up-to-date. Reading the minutes of the Board is interesting.
Damian loves publicity. Whilst Havering was being ravaged, he appeared on TV on numerous occasions. He presented Havering’s response well and convincingly. He’s also done dozens of Leaders’ blogs during the period, which were informative and helpful. But was it sincere or just a PR exercise, flashy without substance?
The three meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board were attended by everyone except Damian.2 He attended none of them. So what’s going on?
If there’s a plausible explanation for this dereliction of duty, I look forward to hearing it.
Notes
1 Minutes Template (havering.gov.uk) This Board is very high powered and includes Havering’s CEO who hasn’t missed a meeting.
2 On the 24th February 2021 he didn’t even offer apologies for absence.
Politics in Havering 
I expect nothing more of Damian White his only agenda is self gain. #timetoresign Damian White
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I agree with you about this and must say I was astonished by his arrogance
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I am no longer surprised at the arrogance shown by the leader of the council. I will be surprised if he gets voted in again, though.
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Damian knows how to manage the Conservative Group and they are loyal because he gives them what they want. The only way he wont be Leader next year is if the Opposition can vote him out.
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There wasn’t any crayons and coloured card available at any of these meetings and me mam wanted me in before it got dark.
Why should I go? The others said it was boring by all accounts so I didn’t miss much did I?
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It was witty and possibly the final sentence is truer than we’d like it to be.
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