Havering Council Leader Ray Morgon to Step Down After 24 Years In Local Politics.

After more than two decades serving Havering, Council Leader Ray Morgon has announced he will step down from local politics. The long-standing Hacton Ward councillor, who has represented residents for 24 years and led the council in recent years, has confirmed he will not stand in the local elections this May. Speaking to the Havering Daily, Councillor Morgon explains why he is bidding farewell to the borough he has served for over two decades.

After 24 years as a councillor in Havering, I have decided it is time I hang up whatever Councillors hang up and not put myself forward at this May’s local elections.  

I have been thinking about this over several months, and after discussing this further with my two children, both in their early 30’s,  last Christmas, I feel I need to start a new chapter in my life. This year I will reach in my view a milestone year when I hopefully become 65 in September.

24 years ago, I joined as a Conservative councillor and was soon in the Cabinet. However, after four years I decided to become a Hornchurch Residents Association councillor as I felt being part of a national party is not where I wanted to be and I liked the way the Resident’s Association operated and what they stood for. 

It was a privilege for me that after years in opposition, and some of those years as Leader of the Opposition, I was elected as Leader of Havering Council in May 2022 after we formed the Havering Resident’s Association group, and working with the Labour group, we had the numbers to form an Administration. Following the defection of several Conservative Councillors and a Labour Councillor, we have for some time now been running the Administration on our own.

Since taking on this role, I have to say it has been great working with colleagues and officers despite the challenging circumstances we find ourselves in with our finances. I am proud of what we have achieved despite these difficulties.  From day one I was always clear that we would be an open, honest and transparent Administration and that all Councillors would be treated fairly and equally and with respect. I believe all of these objectives have been achieved.   

Anyone doing this job will know it isn’t easy, and you have to give up so much of your life to do it. I currently work the best part of 7 days a week and have now reached the stage where I want to have more leisure time and as my children often remind me I have had a stroke not that many years ago and if I don’t look after my health that could happen again and I might not be so lucky with the outcome next time.  

I certainly feel I want to be closer to family and plan to move to Dorset in a place of my own to do so. I am already actively looking at this and look forward to spending more time with my daughter and son, as well as being able to enjoy my retirement and see a bit more of the world. 

I would like to thank everyone for their help and support over the years and hope that whatever happens at the election that the best interests of the borough are always kept in mind when forming an Administration. Of course, I hope that it is another HRA Administration, as I believe a local party runs a local Council in the best way. 

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