Council Meeting, 15th January 2025 (part one)

Attendance

Nine councillors (16%) were absent. Absenteeism like this is a *Red Flag* demanding action.¹ Item 7b gave permission to a councillor be absent because of serious illness and that is right and proper. But what of the other eight?

Question Time²

Keith Prince (13 and 22 minutes)³ asked two questions about libraries. Gillian Ford didn’t show leadership in either answer. Keith wondered what additional work Gillian had done to garner community support and extend the commercial side of the library estate. She hadn’t done anything. *Proactive* is forbidden territory for her.

Dilip Patel (45 minutes) highlighted the tragic case of an 85 years old lady who’d been without heating for a month. Paul McGeary mumbled. His gravedigger voice buried this annoying triviality and the moment passed.

Webcast

The quality is poor and worsening. Gillian’s answer to Keith’s second question featured the brooding figure of Barry Mugglestone. At 37 minutes Natasha Summers disappeared altogether being replaced by Luke Phimister’s name. David Taylor’s question wasn’t filmed at all and Jane Keane’s question was truncated. Computer King Paul Middleton should solve this shaming problem. It makes the council look incompetent.

Notes

1 Councillors attendance summary, 25 July 2024 – 17 January 2025 | London Borough of Havering Six (11%) have 50%, or fewer, attendances and that doesn’t include the member who is seriously ill.

2 Council Questions 15 January 2025.pdf

3 Timings relate to the webcast Annotator Player

Havering’s Council Meeting, 20th November 2024 (part two)

Militant trade unionists in the 1970s dragged meetings out to exasperate ‘ordinary’ members who left long before the end of meetings. Extremist motions were then agreed ‘democratically’. Keith Prince has watched the videos with enthusiasm.

Motion B (see addendum one) implies huge expenditure and Havering is bankrupt. Keith Darvill (2:07)¹ said ‘every park is different’, with the main difference being some parks can’t be economically fenced and gated. He cited Upminster Park. Barry Mugglestone (2:04) missed the point at length. The proposer Tim Ryan (2:00) was sincerely misguided. And that was the debate.

Enter Comrade Keith Prince (2:00) and (2:17).

Keith likes procedural points. His speciality is nit-picking. Unlike militant trade unionists, he can’t add two hours to a meeting. Whatever extremist motions he’d dreamt up – the Peoples’ Republic of Romford? – were unheard. Keith was posturing against the clock and a legal officer enjoying the limelight.

Keith had support from Michael White (2:20). Michael mocked the fact that the HRA demanded that their amendment be presented to council. HRA don’t realise THEY ARE the Administration and they don’t need motions presented – to themselves. The HRA motion was piffle.

Jane Keane (2:14) was outraged that the motion to discuss the safety of women was binned (see addendum two). Soothing words were spoken but there was a nasty taste in the mouth.

Best Moment: Dilip Patel’s (15) anecdote about former councillor Pam Craig

Addendum One: Conservative Motion B

Chamber recognises Havering has reached unacceptable levels of antisocial behaviour in our parks. Council calls on the Administration to produce a detailed plan to reduce levels of antisocial behaviour and to resume the overnight locking of parks, and to present this proposal at the meeting of Council.²

Addendum Two: Labour Motion C

This Council condemns violence against women and children and recognises the particular challenges of finding emergency refuge accommodation for mothers with boys over the age of 12 years old. This Council calls upon the Administration to work with refuge organisations to find solutions to the lack of available refuge places.²

Notes

1 Annotator Player All times refer to this webcast

2 Motions (Public Pack)SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA Agenda Supplement for Council, 20/11/2024 19:30

Havering’s Cabinet Meeting, 9th October 2024

The meeting dealt with awarding contracts. Every officer recommendation was agreed. Scrutiny was provided by Keith Prince who did a manly job. This was especially the case with the award of a Housing IT contract, Item 8.¹

Keith (1:04)² focused on the price range,

“Indicative Market Comparison Costs……Based on the extensive market assessment across eight suppliers it is estimated that the total value of the contract will be within a range of c.£970,000 to £2.4m for the potential seven year life cycle of the software …..(results of market assessment across eight suppliers)”³

There is a 147% range between lowest and highest. Keith found this curious. Just how could there be such an enormous variation for the same performance? The complex story took an interesting turn when the director of finance said she could vary these prices by a further half million pounds under delegated powers. Taking the lowest indicative price, that was a further 51%. Reading the cabinet’s ‘body language’, it was obvious they didn’t know about her delegated powers. (The papers will be rewritten reflecting this insight.)

Keith did an excellent job at this meeting.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ray Morgon’s attempt to suppress the Institutional Racism report hit another road block⁴ when the appeal against the Freedom of Information Tribunal judgment failed,

A judge ruled that the council’s grounds for trying to cover up the 400-page dossier were “inarguable” and had “no realistic prospect of success”. ⁵ (my emphasis)

He’s a sucker for punishment and might appeal against this judgement. The lawyers are loving it. Havering’s library users are less happy.

Notes

1 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Cabinet, 09/10/2024 19:30 p97

2 Time is based on the webcast

3 loc.cit. p99

4 Institutional Racism and Havering Council – Politics in Havering

5 Information Tribunal rejects Havering Council racism dossier appeal | This Is Local London

Havering’s Council Meeting 24th July, 2024 (part two)

The principal activity of council meetings is debating Motions. These are free-wheeling discussions where any councillor can participate. Motions ought to be important and probing.¹ Motions presented to this meeting were, in general, an insult to the electorate.²

^{…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………}

The first motion by the Conservatives was:

A This council agrees to implement a pairing system for members, to ensure that serious illness does not impact the political balance of the Chamber.

Keith Prince (1 hour 31)³was abysmal. He literally hadn’t worked out the implications of his proposition. Keith Darvill (1:34) told him. Prince acknowledged he’d got it wrong. It was drivel.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The Conservative’s second motion was pivotal. The financial ‘reasons’ for library closures are flakey and legitimately contestable. Perfect territory for intelligent debating:

B Council calls upon Cabinet to maintain the operation of all local libraries, acknowledging the critical social impact of their potential closure, and to encourage the use of financial reserves to ensure their continued funding. (my emphasis)

Keith Prince (1:42) withdrew the motion, which is beyond belief. The Conservatives literally don’t know what an Opposition party should be doing, or, what constructive criticism is.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The Conservative’s third motion was inconsequential:

C Council agrees to amend the Constitution to allow for 2 follow-up questions during full council meetings.

Keith Prince (1:43) continued his poor form. Once more Keith Darvill dissected the motion. He gained support from Stephanie Nunn and Ray Morgon.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The final motion came from the Labour party:

D This Council adopts the Co-operative Party’s Charter Against Modern Slavery as shown on the attached.

Katharine Tumilty (1:55) made a very good speech about the horrors of modern-day slavery. Dilip Patel (2:08) shared his first-hand experience when he recounted his involvement in rescuing a young woman. Very moving and inspiring for everyone in the chamber. Barry Mugglestone (2:10) outlined his department’s intervention in illegal HMOs.

It was a long wait but councillors, at last, showed their best side.

Best speech: Katharine Tumilty

Notes

1 There are eight council meetings but there are no motions at Annual Council

2 SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA 24th-Jul-2024 19.30 Council.pdf (havering.gov.uk) p11

3 Annotator Player (mediasite.com) All times refer to this webcast

Havering’s Elections, 2nd May, 2024

Havering is Conservative heartland. Although they appear to be in terminal decline nationally, that is fake news.¹ When everything is against them, their ‘tribe’ rallies round. Susan Hall² and Keith Prince³ romped home with substantial majorities against Labour. Grim national polling wasn’t reflected in Havering.

Susan Hall

Even her best friends wouldn’t describe her as dynamic. Her role was to be a sacrificial lamb facing slaughter. Her memorable ‘policy’ was scrapping ULEZ from “day one”. Despite her simplistic politics, she trounced Sadiq Khan by 32,000+ votes.

Keith Prince

He has been a GLA Assembly member for eight years. He avoided campaigning on his record during those years. This was wise. Keith is chair of GLA’s Transport Committee and Havering has major issues. First and foremost is the 50 year old Gallows Corner flyover, which is a blot on the landscape. Keith’s political strategy is wringing his hands in horror. This was unsuccessful with Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan.

Speculation

Conservatives should be worried about the Reform party – aka UKIP. They got 19,696 votes as a name on a ballot paper. Reform is popular in Havering, being right-wing without policies. Their voters think they can make a difference and they’re right.

Damian White lost in the 2019 general election because of UKIP.⁴It’s impossible to know the impact on Andrew Rosindell but his majority is 17,893. If there’s a general election swing and a right-wing party, then he might be caught in a pincer movement. Julia Lopez’s majority is 23,000+ and only a political tsunami will shift her.

Notes

1 Since 2022 there have been seven defections from the Conservatives to HRA

2 havering_and_redbridge_mayoral_results_2024.pdf (londonelects.org.uk)

3 GLA Elections 2024: Havering and Redbridge Constituency Member results | The London Borough Of Havering

4 Damian White Scuppered by Nigel Farage! 12th December, 2019 – Politics in Havering

Havering Council Meeting, 27th March 2024

The Conservatives had a humdinger of a motion for debate (see Addendum). It challenged the HRA/Labour *solution* to the budget deficit.¹This naïve commentator waited for fireworks from political heavyweights debating the future of Havering.

What should have happened

Keith Prince would denounce the £54m loan as reckless folly, mortgaging the future. He pointed out that £54m @7% for 20 years creates a stonking £68m² in interest payments, more than doubling the original debt. Keith could continue that the loan ‘kicked the can down the road’. In 2026 everything would be the same with Adult, Children’s Services and Homelessness turbo-charging the deficit. What, Keith thundered rhetorically, would Ray Morgon do then? Borrow another £54m?

Ray Morgon would angrily riposte that defending government funding was bizarre. In 2010, Havering’s grant was £70m and in 2023, £1.9m. Meanwhile, after 14 years of government mis-management, inflation added 47% to costs.³ Therefore, Havering needs a £103m grant just to stand still! Additionally, the council had unfunded responsibilities. Homelessness came from government policies with enormous costs for the council. Ray might finish by saying everything will be different in two years’ time.

What did happen

Ray Morgon and Keith Prince agreed not to have a debate and went home two hours earlier than usual.

Addendum: Conservative Motion

This chamber calls on the council to release to the public the full letters, from the Government Ministers and from the Leader, regarding the Capitalisation Directive. The chamber calls on the Government to provide the funding as a grant instead of a loan.⁴

Best speech: None

Runner-up: None

Best sarcasm: Barry Mugglestone

Notes

1 Havering Council: Budget Setting – 28th February, 2024 – Politics in Havering

2 It might not be, we haven’t seen the T&Cs yet. Actually the money is ‘drawn’ down over the next two years so the £68m is calculated for 18 full years of interest.

3 Inflation calculator | Bank of England

4 Public reports pack 27th-Mar-2024 19.30 Council.pdf (havering.gov.uk) p117

Extraordinary Council Meeting, 30th August 2023

Keith Prince is a Havering and GLA councillor. He chairs the GLA Transport committee, holding Mayor Khan to account. He’s in a powerful and unique position but what does Havering gain?

Havering is the GLA’s Ugly Duckling. We’ve been left out of SuperLoop, didn’t get a station at Beam Park, don’t have good north-south bus routes, electronic bus signs are rarely to seen, and Gallows Corner is a national joke. Keith might be lobbying but he annoys the Mayor. This meeting could have been Keith’s showcase. It was a disaster. His speech (1:33)¹ was ill-prepared, badly delivered and showed why Havering gets a raw deal from the GLA.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Virtually every councillor thinks Havering’s air is of unimprovable. Gerry O’Sullivan (1:06) blamed air pollution deaths, in part, on the 1953 Great Smog. Mandy Anderson ((1:09) quoted Boris Johnson bragging ULEZ would make London, “The greatest city on earth.” Dilip Patel (34) got technical with a critique of the Imperial College report. He made important points about tyres and brakes generating air pollution. Reg Whitney (52) said £12.50 was a permit to pollute. He said pollution could stop by 2028 if non-compliant cars were banned altogether, which is an excellent point.

Ray Best’s (1:18) family have 10 non-compliant vehicles.² Other councillors had personal horror stories but he won. The debate featured hand-wringing about the plight of poor people. Nisiha Patel (53) said her daughter, a doctor, would suffer. Perhaps a generous gift at her next birthday will soften the ULEZ blow.

Frankie Walker (1:25) said London was unfairly treated in comparison to Manchester and Bristol. Trevor McKeevor (1:30)³ quoted a Grant Shapps letter virtually ordering the Mayor to extend ULEZ.

It turns out that pay-per-mile will probably come in after 2030 to replace the money lost from people converting to electric vehicles which don’t pay Fuel Duty.

Stephanie Nunn, Havering’s Mayor, kept the debate moving by being ‘Firm but Fair’.

Addendum: Absent councillors

Robert Benham, Joshua Chapman, Osman Dervish, Jason Frost, Jane Keane, Robbie Misir, Matt Stanton, Christine Vickery, Damian White and Chris Wilkins. 10 out of 55

Notes

1 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 30/08/2023 19:30 (havering.gov.uk) This is the wording of the single motion for debate. The debate webcast is here Annotator Player (sonicfoundry.com) Times indicate when a speaker began their speech. Prince = 1 hour 33 into the debate.

2 Perhaps he was inspired by the famous Four Yorkshire sketch? Four Yorkshiremen- Monty Python – YouTube

3 He also put a tetchy Chief Executive right (1:21) about councillors waiting to speak and so everyone got their turn even though the meeting was extended twice.

Havering Councillor: Keith Prince (Squirrels Heath)(part two)

It’s difficult to overstate how unique Keith’s political position is. He’s a councillor for both the GLA and Havering.¹ Conservative Central Office parachuted Keith into Havering because it needs political maturity. Keith is a veteran of local politics and will inject realism into Romford Conservatives. They’ve lost power after 20 years, which is ominous. Lost power in a Conservative heartland!²

Keith was elected 33 years ago as a Havering councillor. He moved to Redbridge, became Leader and effortlessly slid into the GLA in 2016.³ In 2022 he ousted Damian White from Squirrels Heath ward. Damian saw it coming and finessed the attack by shifting to Havering-atte-Bower ward. He then politically manipulated naïve new councillors⁴ from Rainham, winning the 2022 Conservative leadership election. A triumph of political manoeuvering.

Game, Set and Match to Damian.

It was temporary.⁵ Keith won the group election in 2023 and Damian is yesterday’s man. Keith believes he’ll solve Romford’s ‘problem’ with time to spare. He’s a GLA councillor with 400,000+ constituents, a Havering councillor, and Leader of the Conservatives. Superman?

At Annual Council Keith misunderstood procedure. A blip? Havering needs a strong Opposition to keep HRA/Labour on their toes.

Notes

1 (a) Register of Interests for Havering Council mgConvert2PDF.aspx (havering.gov.uk)

(b) Register of Interests for the GLA Keith Prince – Register of interests | London City Hall

2 Julia Lopez and Andrew Rosindell have huge majorities.

3 Roger Evans was GLA member from 2000 to 2016.

4 They decamped joining the HRA after a few weeks reducing the Conservatives to 20 councillors. They are Sarah Edwards, Jacqueline McArdle and Sue Ospreay.

5 See Havering Councillor: Damian White (Havering-atte-Bower) – Politics in Havering

Havering’s Annual Council Meeting, 24th May, 2023

Havering’s Annual Council meeting¹ is a character-building event. Only political geeks should attend. Out-going mayor Trevor McKeevor, walks and talks like a mayor, so Stephanie Nunn, the new mayor, has a hard act to follow. An instant difference was Stephanie’s easy-going familiarity. She waved to people in the chamber. This included Robert Benham and her spiritual advisor (at 47 minutes). This is a sharp change in tone.

The death of Linda Hawthorn² was noted without eulogies. That will come at the council meeting on the 12^th July. She was a veteran councillor having served 33 years.

The meeting livened up when new Conservative leader, Keith Prince, tried to withdraw David Taylor’s nomination for a council position. He misunderstood procedure and Taylor remained on the candidate list notwithstanding Prince’s efforts to withdraw his name. Taylor was defeated 29-3 with three members not realising they were voting for a non-candidate.³ They demonstrated loyalty (beyond!) the bitter end.

The meeting concluded with Ray Morgon’s summary of the year. He had a good story to tell. Unfortunately, he ruined it with a disastrous metaphor about the sea – in landlocked Havering. His principal highlight was building a successful coalition. The low point was the ‘parking permit’ fiasco, which he⁴ gracefully accepted as being the antidote of a triumph.

Notes

1 For the webcast go to Annotator Player (sonicfoundry.com) All times relate to this source

2 See Havering Councillor: Linda Hawthorn (Upminster) – Politics in Havering for a summary of her exceptional position in Havering’s political life.

3 The voting was: 29 For the HRA candidate; 3 Against; 7 Abstentions. Interestingly these 39 votes out of 54 mean 15 councillors were doing something else.

4 The responsible cabinet members, Barry Mugglestone and Chris Wilkins, presumably accepted blame in private.

Havering Councillor: Damian White (Havering-atte-Bower)

Damian has had a stellar career, which is now ending. First elected in 2010, he became deputy-Leader, 2014-18, and Leader of the Council, 2018-22. In 2019 he nearly became an MP in the Boris Johnson landslide.¹ That was his finest hour.

Damian controlled Conservative councillors with pot-of-gold politics. The allowance system was manipulated to ‘reward’ them. He relied on three RA² councillors, from Harold Wood, for his working majority. They too were richly rewarded.

The 2022 election was disastrous for Damian. Havering’s new coalition Administration³ didn’t include Conservatives. They lost power for the first time in 20 years. Collectively, losing the election cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds in allowances. Damian lost thousands of pounds as well as his status as Leader. It’s debatable which was worse.

Since the 2022 election, Damian has become an absentee councillor even though he remains Leader of the Conservatives. His attendance at committees is an appalling 33%.⁴It could be that he is having a gigantic sulk. What’s certain is that if he was an employee he’d be sacked.

The Conservative group’s Leadership election in May should see Damian replaced by someone more dynamic or, at the very least, visible. A likely successor is Keith Prince, seen here with Andrew Rosindell at a St George’s Day celebration.