‘HRA Councillors must not use me to cover their disingenuous behaviour-I most certainly was prepared to be Mayor.’
Former Deputy Mayor Councillor Patricia Brown slams HRA Councillors for spreading disinformation stating ‘I have not lied about this issue- I am not a liar and I will not have my integrity questioned.’
Labour Gooshays Ward Councillor Patricia Brown today writes in the Havering Daily over the recent appointment of an HRA Mayor.
I am shocked and appalled that after two years of service to Havering I have fallen victim to lies and misinformation being peddled by the Havering Residents’ Association.
Following the Annual Council meeting on the 22 May 2024, The Havering Daily and the Romford Recorder printed an article including a statement from the HRA Group which said I did not wish to become Mayor – and so that role had gone to a member of the HRA.
The inference was that I was breaking a working agreement that had been in place since 2022 in which the position of Mayor alternated between an HRA member and a Labour member.
But this is entirely untrue. I most certainly was prepared to be Mayor after a year of supporting the HRA Mayor and carrying out duties as Deputy Mayor.
I was not asked to respond to the claims made. I am also aware these false statements about me have been repeated to residents by HRA Councillors verbally and written in response to emails.
I would have been honoured to be Mayor of Havering. Three times the HRA Leader – on behalf of the HRA members – asked me to confirm if I wanted to become Mayor. My response each time was: ‘Yes’. The fact I was asked three times confirms the HRA Group knew this expectation was in place as part of the wider agreement within the joint administration.
The long-standing agreement was to have two Mayors and two Deputy Mayors from each of the two groups over the four years. So even if I hadn’t wanted to be Mayor, it would still have been for Labour and not the HRA to appoint someone to the position.
Why would I have allowed the Labour group to put my nomination forward if I did not want to be Mayor? Why would I have researched local charities who would benefit from my support in the role?
I have not lied about this issue. I am not a liar and I will not have my integrity questioned.
I want to thank the Labour group for their support over this very painful period. Also, the East Havering Residents’ Group for their support and voting for me. I have also received kind and supportive comments from the Conservative Group at the Council meeting and since.
Most of all I want to thank all those residents who do and do not know me personally and have written to me and the press to express their support and views on the situation.
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I wrote to Councillor Brown to express my support and sympathy following the shabby way she has been treated by the HRA. I asked her if the alternating HRA/Labour Mayor ‘arrangement’ was part of the ‘deal’ cut between HRA and Labour Councillors when they ALL signed the Memorandum of Understanding to form their coalition.
No reply yet.
Ray Morgon and Gillian Ford adamantly refuse to allow any Resident who voted HRA in 2022 to see the document.
I voted for them because of their claim to be ‘open, honest and transparent’.
Gillian Ford has stated that every HRA and Labour Councillor SIGNED this document when the coalition was formed. Is this true?
Is there anyone out there who has seen the Memorandum of Association and is prepared to share the details/contents? (anonymously if necessary).
Councillors should state (if asked) if they have been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements re their MoU.
Secrecy builds mistrust.
Now Labour have walked away from toxic HRA perhaps they can share anything they signed.
I’ve asked Ray Morgon and Gillian Ford many times to disclose details of this Memorandum of Association and they have both provided what I consider to be ridiculous reasons as to why they REFUSE to.
Gillian Ford has stated that EVERY Labour and HRA Councillor has signed this Memorandum of Association. She has also stated that I’m not allowed to see the MoU because the signatures of the signatories are ‘confidential’.
She has also blocked me from the HRA Facebook group for asking such questions.
If the HRA refuse to be as “open, honest and transparent” as they claim to be, Residents like me can only speculate as to why they are so secretive.
I wonder if HRA were greedy for power and compromised themselves by agreeing to Labour demands;
1) declare a Climate Emergency in Havering
2) create a NEW Cabinet Member for Climate AGENDA
3) appoint Keith Darvill (Lab) as the new Cabinet Member
4) PRETEND to be opposed to Ulez/PPM cameras but act in COMPLICITY with Khan.
We might find out one day.
I recall former Hornchurch Residents Association (HXRA) Cllr Barbara Matthews was very upset at missing out on the Mayoralty after serving as Deputy Mayor, but at least in that case there were pressing party political reasons for the snub as conservatives took overall control of the council.
It now transpires that the Havering Residents Association (HRA) decision to ignore convention and without warning snub Labour Deputy Mayor Cllr Pat Brown and replace her with Cllr Gerry O’Sullivan was also done as a prelude to taking minority control of the council following the defection of 7 conservative and 1 Labour councillors to HRA?
Except, on this occasion HRA remain short of an overall majority (26 out of 55) and so will still need the goodwill of other groups to govern.
If HRA have plans to take the independent legal action needed to get fair funding for Havering then ending the coalition with Labour makes sense, but if not, it appears a perverse move considering a forecast Labour win in the general election.
Sadly it appears a self-indulgent case of rearranging the deck-chairs/allowances on the Titanic, a speciality of the former conservative administration rather than serving the public interest.