‘Our voluntary sector saves the council millions every year and they provide vital support’.

Councillor David Taylor has used the Conservative Party Conference to highlight the plight of Havering’s finances and the need to support the voluntary sector.

Romford Councillor David Taylor today writes:

The Conservative Party Conference took place in Birmingham this month and Cllr David Taylor attended to represent his Romford residents and to highlight the state of Havering’s finances. 

Whilst helping to host a major foodbank charity, and challenging prospective party leaders and Members of Parliament, Cllr Taylor highlighted that the only way to drive down the cost of social care is to tackle the root causes of poverty. This includes properly funding intervention services, which direct people to support. 

Organisations such as Havering Citizen’s Advice and the Havering Volunteer Centre receive small amounts of funding from Havering Council however, they deliver large budget savings by supporting people in claiming welfare that they are entitled to and providing skills that get people into work. Havering council currently spends in the region of £300,000 a year for each homeless family in temporary accommodation. Preventing homeless, by helping residents secure government support, prevents the cost of support from falling on Havering Council.

Havering Council is entering the next budget setting cycle, with the HRA administration reviewing proposals for 2025 and warning that their ‘hands are tied’. Havering’s support for the voluntary sector is believed to be under threat. 

“I went to Conservative Party Conference to represent my residents from across Romford and Havering. I made it clear, to senior politicians and leadership contenders, that we need to reform the way councils are funded and review what we ask of them. 

However, I was also there to listen and understand the options available to us here in Havering. One of the clearest messages I heard from organisations on the front-line of tackling poverty, was that support for our voluntary sector was key. 

If Havering cuts funding to the likes of the Volunteer Centre, or drives up their costs, then many more families will be left needing help. This will drive up the cost of Havering’s social care budget. 

Our voluntary sector saves the council millions every year and they provide a vital support, such as the training of hundreds of volunteers for the new St Georges Medical Hub. 

We are in a tough financial situation, but no one’s hand is being forced. That is an excuse for poor decision making, which will cost our borough dearly. Havering does not need the managed decline that we are witnessing; it needs bold leadership and the right decisions to be made. 

Havering cannot, literally, afford to cut funding to the voluntary sector”.

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