Question Time (QT)1
Question one2 was a political question! Michael White (25 minutes) asked about Havering joining Essex. He was digging out Andrew Rosindell and his Reform UK party.Apart from flags, Andrew is obsessed by the ‘Evil Empire’ that is London. Ray Morgon eagerly joined in, listing the inescapable advantages that the GLA brings Havering. Michael concluded by saying that leaving London was “a risk too far”. Ray was only too pleased to agree.
QT went downhill after this
Questions 3 and 6 were identical (33 and 39). Barry Mugglestone realised that giving identical answers was ridiculous. It didn’t stop him.3 Irony isn’t Barry’s strong suit. He likes being the centre of attention at whatever cost to his dignity.
There were eleven questions for Barry out of 15. QT is a golden opportunity for councillors, but they don’t use it to any good purpose. Red hot topics are ignored. The East Havering Data Centre was unquestioned even though the three HRA ward councillors oppose it. This includes two councillors who are cabinet members. They haven’t resigned. Then there’s the multi-million pounds loan from government. How much has Havering borrowed this year, what’s the repayment period, and at what ruinous interest rate? No-one was interested.
Keith Prince (35) asked Q4 about mislabeling staff agency costs as telephone expenses.4 The amount was £262,000. Apparently ‘mistakes’ happen and ‘lessons have been learned’. Keith accepted this. This is amazing. The ‘mistake’ is so bizarre it needs a vivid imagination to think how it could have been made. Keith’s fatal lack of probing curiosity is characteristic of councillors who literally don’t know how to do scrutiny. Everything is accepted at face value regardless of how ludicrous.
The 2022-26 HRA Council finished with a whimper.
Notes
1 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 18/03/2026 19:30 p325 for all printed questions See Annotator Player for the webcast All times relate to this webcast
2 Can the Administration please confirm which services will be lost and what the approximate financial impact would be on the Borough should Havering withdraw from the Greater London Authority area? It shouldn’t be forgotten that Andrew tried, and failed, to become the Conservative Mayoral candidate.
4 In the interests of transparency can the Leader explain why, who and what amount is being referred to in the Standard article which says Havering Council has tagged payments to one of its recruitment and workforce suppliers as “telephone expenses”.
Politics in Havering 
Many years ago the London or Essex debate had merit, but now, at best, it’s a diversion from realistic reforms that are urgently needed, but ignored in favour of more anti-democratic centralisation, see Essex reforms, always in the name of bogus economy aka mega combined authorities ruled by an Elected Mayor.
The State likes this arrangement because it’s less accountable and because it’s easier to nobble an Elected Mayor than an Elected Assembly, just as it’s easier to nobble a Judge than a Jury, as only one person involved.
You may recall, admittedly they’ve changed the rules, a bit, after Ken Livingstone with the largest personal democratic mandate as head of the GLA, was suspended from office by a Blairite “Star Chamber” aka kangaroo court, for offending a Jewish journalist who was door stepping him as he was walking home from a late night meeting, after being asked to desist! Unbelievable really, but how much easier than suspending an entire council!
The political and administrative for leaving the GLA are almost insurmountable, so it’s one of those never ending debates that shed more heat than light, which can be politically useful, but avoids debating reforming the GLA. Namely, abolish the post of directly Elected Mayor and return power to a directly Elected Assembly.
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Local democracy is *nobbled* by financial arrangements. Councils are burdened with *statutory* obligations which aren’t financed. That destroys local initiative. That it turn, stops anyone with aspirations from wanting to become a be a councillor. Councillors can’t make a difference to their areas all they can do is act as agents of the government. Local government has been destroyed.
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