Councillor Welcomes Parking Permit U Turn But Says Explanation Contains Holes.

Councillor David Taylor from St Edwards Ward in Romford, has welcomed Havering’s U-turn on parking permit prices, following an announcement made by Council Leader Ray Morgon on 3 May. Councillor Morgon has said that an error was made but Councillor Taylor has criticised the explanation as ‘full of holes’. 

“Residents were horrified to find out that permits had doubled in price”, Councillor Taylor told the Havering Daily. “They were even more horrified that the money was taken without notice and that no-one seemed to know the prices had doubled until the money left accounts. The Council have blamed the error on a Council Officer, but their explanation is far too full of holes. I don’t think we’re being given the full story.”

In a statement to the press, Councillor Morgon explained that a change to permit prices was submitted to Cabinet but with no notice given. In a report to another press outlet, Councillor Morgon said “We wouldn’t have had the opportunity to discuss it and, for some of us, we hadn’t even seen it”.  Councillor Morgon then goes on to say that he only became aware of the new prices once residents started complaining. It is this combination of statements that Councillor Taylor views as ‘full of holes’. 

“We can forgive the Leader and his Cabinet for not reading their emails prior to the meeting, at a stretch. But, The Leader has admitted an update was given. So I’m left wondering why it took Councillor Morgon months to discover the price rise. If the email update was sent, as we are being told, then it would have remained in everyone’s inbox after the meeting, unread. 

The only explanation I can find is that the Leader and Cabinet then failed to open their emails for months”. 

Following the Cabinet approving the price hike, albeit by accident, the HRA and Labour then presented the budget to all Councillors on March 1st. This budget contained the 100% price increase and Councillor Martin Goode (East Havering Resident’s Association) referred to the rise in his speech. 

“If Councillor Goode, an opposition Councillor, was aware of the changes. Why wasn’t the Leader and Cabinet? Did they now know what they were presenting? If they thought they had only approved a moderate increase, why didn’t they challenge Councillor Goode when he spoke on prices being doubled?

“None of this adds up and it’s not good enough. The budget is the most important vote of the year. It decides how much money Councillors are going to demand from residents, it decides how much will be spent. Our Labour and HRA coalition have spent the last year telling us that finances are in a mess. Well, if they are in such a mess then it’s more important than ever that they read the papers they are voting on.”

Following criticism from fellow Councillors and members of the public, for his campaigning on the matter, Councillor Taylor gives no apologies. 

“My party, the Conservatives, are in opposition. It is, therefore, my duty to hold the administration to account and I shall continue to do so. I am a friendly critic of their work, but I will not shy away from calling out problems when I see them. Good leaders require good opponents and they must be challenged. If I didn’t call them out on this, then who would?”

Havering Council has now committed to reversing the price hike and to refunding residents who have already paid the higher prices. 

“I welcome this u-turn and I hope the refunds come fast. This can’t happen again. Resident’s wallets are not the play-things of politicians”. 

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