Romford Councillor praises Budget Scrutiny meeting.

Councillor David Taylor from Romford Town ward, has described a recent budget scrutiny meeting as a huge success, as well as calling for increased scrutiny in the future. 

Ahead of all councillors voting on Havering’s Budget, the Overview and Scrutiny Board met to discuss the proposals and make recommendations to the Cabinet. The board is consists of 12 councillors, with 7 from the Labour / Resident’s Association coalition and 5 from opposition parties. 

The meeting was held on Tuesday 7^th February and all councillors present voted to extend the meeting time to allow scrutiny to continue. 

“The meeting was a huge success,” Councillor Taylor told the Havering Daily.  “Councillors, from all parties, turned up prepared and we asked in excess of 50 questions relating to the budget proposals. 

“Whilst we didn’t get all the answers on the night, I am grateful to all officers and Directors who presented to the Councillors and committed to coming back to us”. 

The earlier start to the meeting was met with opposition from a small number of councillors however, Councillor Taylor praised the cross-party nature of the scrutiny. 

“In the end, the meeting had full attendance, with members of the public also showing an interest. We were all in agreement that the meeting should be extended and this is a great example of how we can put politics aside for the good of Havering”. 

“I am a Conservatives Councillor” Mr Taylor said, “But above that I am a representative of my residents. I’ll work with anyone who has their best interests in mind”. 

Following reports that the number of scrutiny meetings has dropped in Havering, Councillor Taylor joined in calls for increased scrutiny to continue. 

“We proved we can do it. We had a full meeting for 3 hours of in-depth questioning. It’s exactly as it should be. However, we need more councillors involved and Committees need to meet more often. 

“The current system means a majority of Councillors do not sit on any committee and, therefore, are left out of the scrutiny process. I’d like to see the coalition revisit their committee design, to bring more councillors into the process.

“With meetings time-limited, it’s vital we have more rather than less”. 

Havering Council will vote on the budget on 1^st March.

Stay up to date with all of our latest updates and content by following us on our social media accounts!

We have created community pages where we will share our up-to-date stories happening in the area. Add the area closest to where you live.

Support Local Journalism
We at The Havering Daily appreciate your support of quality journalism. Your generous donation, no matter the size, allows us to continue bringing unbiased and informative news to the community. Your contribution helps us maintain our independence and allows us to continue providing high-quality journalism. Thank you for valuing the work we do and for supporting our mission

Thank you