Havering Labour councillors call on residents to participate on the budget consultation.

News from Havering Labour Councillors.

This week sees the launch of Havering’s budget consultation. Havering’s Labour Councillor’s are keen for residents to participate.

“Last year saw the most responses that Havering has ever had to the budget consultation” Labour Group Leader Keith Darvill, told the Havering Daily. “While we appreciate that it is a difficult subject, we are eager to hear from as many residents from all areas of the borough as possible.”

Deputy Leader and Heaton Ward Councillor Mandy Anderson added: “Residents know that the Council is in a difficult position, with enormous sums of money that we have to spend by law, and less help from Government than ever before. Everyone knows that the Council doesn’t have a magic wand, and we know that residents will use this opportunity to talk to us about what matters most to them”

Gooshays Ward Councillor and Cabinet Member for Housing, Paul McGeary, has been vocal about the Homelessness crisis facing Havering alongside every other local authority, he told the Havering Daily:”We have seen a rise in the number of Households approaching us for help with Housing, but the response from Government has not kept pace with the scale of the problem.”

His ward colleague, Deputy Mayor Pat Brown, continued; “Havering residents, many of whom are now in temporary accommodation, or who have friends, relatives, or colleagues in that unfortunate position, will have their opportunity to confirm to us their support for our most vulnerable”.

Beam Park Ward Councillors Trevor Mckeever and Matt Stanton are pleased that the joint administration has been upfront with the public, “No Councillor, of any Party, wants to be in the position that Havering is in. We are asking for the support of residents to make very difficult decisions, that may not just have a financial impact on them, but also on their quality of life. Because if we fail to do this, what follows will be much worse.”

St Albans Councillor Jane Keane feels that the Government has had plenty of warning about the scale of the problem: “This Government is going to leave it till the last minute to offer a sum of money that will not cover our unavoidable expenditure. It won’t fix the systemic issues and it will heap more statutory obligations onto local authorities instead.”

Gooshays Councillor Kathy Tumilty wants residents to think carefully about the most vulnerable in our communities when they answer the consultation: “Your Labour Councillors are going to fight for every piece of early intervention and care that we can. Cost avoidance, helping families earlier to avoid them getting into trouble later on, is very important to the Council”. 

Heaton Ward Councillor Frankie Walker echoed Councillor Darvill’s comments: “The more responses residents give, the greater chance we have at the Town Hall of fighting for these services.”

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