Havering on the Line as Think Tank Calls for Fewer, Bigger London Councils.

A new report from the public policy think tank Re:State is calling for a major overhaul of how London’s local government is organised, suggesting a dramatic reduction in the number of boroughs and the creation of an official “opposition mayor” role to strengthen democratic checks and improve strategic governance across the capital.

The report argues that the current structure of 32 individual London boroughs is too fragmented and can make it harder to deliver services efficiently, particularly at a time when councils face rising financial pressures.

Under the proposals, the capital’s boroughs would be reorganised into around 10 to 12 larger local authorities, each responsible for a significantly larger population than most existing boroughs. Supporters say this could help streamline decision‑making, cut duplication and better align local government with the way major services like transport, housing and planning operate across London.

In addition to reducing borough numbers, the report recommends establishing a formal “opposition mayor” position akin to the leader of the opposition in Parliament. This role, the authors say, would act as a clear political counterbalance to the Mayor of London and strengthen scrutiny of City Hall’s decisions through the London Assembly.

The think tank also suggests that giving London more control over locally raised revenue, including measures such as retaining a future tourism levy, could help make the capital financially stronger and more self‑reliant. Currently, London local authorities and the Greater London Authority receive a substantial share of their funding from central government, which the report argues can limit strategic planning.

What This Could Mean for Havering

For outer London boroughs such as Havering, the proposals could signal significant changes. As one of the city’s larger and more geographically distinct boroughs, Havering might be grouped with neighbouring areas under a new combined authority. This change could reshape local identity and governance, though proponents argue it may deliver greater efficiency and better resource allocation.

Any reorganisation on this scale would be complex and would need extensive consultation, legislative change, and careful planning to preserve local services while adjusting to broader administrative structures.

The Re:State report has already sparked debate among policymakers and local government leaders. Many boroughs, including those outside central London, are facing severe budget pressures, and discussions about funding reform, devolution and council structures are intensifying.

At this stage the proposals remain recommendations from a think tank and are not government policy. If central government were to pursue such reforms, it would require significant engagement with councils and residents across the capital before any changes could be implemented.

Deputy Leader of Havering Council, Councillor Gillian Ford told the Havering Daily:

“Devolution is taking place across the UK through Local Government Reorganisation. Essex is going through this process. The deal is that they HAVE to have an elected Mayor and move from a Committee System to the Cabinet structure; Havering already has a Cabinet system and is devolved as we have planning and social services. Labour have said they want to mange all of the devolution deals outside of London first. You will have seen this has caused a lot of news as some of the elections are going to be delayed.

“It is not currently on the table due to the complexities and challenges that are taking place outside of London. The process also reduces Councillor numbers but interestingly is not demonstrating many savings.

“The other challenge would be who would Havering partner with? Barking and Dagenham? Redbridge? The deals outside of London would have already been done and not a viable option.”

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