Havering Cabinet has big plans. For the details, please ask Barbara

15th October 202615th October 2026 The Havering Daily 0 Comments Barbara, Cabinet, Councillor Day, Day, Havering's min read

A satirical look at a meeting where enthusiasm flowed, officers supplied the detail, and awkward questions apparently arrived several months too early.

Havering Cabinet began with instructions on how to evacuate the chamber. As the evening unfolded, some members appeared to have developed an equally efficient evacuation procedure for difficult questions: hand them to an officer.

The standout performer was the officer repeatedly called upon by Councillor Day. Barbara became such a regular destination for questions that the council could probably improve efficiency by putting her name on the agenda in the first place.

Day deserves credit for visiting extra care facilities and speaking to the people running them. But his account followed a curious journey: he thought the service looked expensive, visited, discovered it did more than he had realised, and recommended extending the contract.

A useful learning experience. Slightly less reassuring when presented by the person introducing the decision.

Asked about recruitment, he praised Havering’s occupational therapy team before Barbara explained that the recruitment would be undertaken by the provider. A glowing reference, delivered to the wrong employer.

Then came the evening’s finest collision between scrutiny and customer service.

Asked about specific actions, funding and delivery dates for respite provision, Day protested that he had only been elected 16 weeks earlier and suggested such questions could be asked in nine months.

Apparently, Cabinet accountability comes with a probation period. Residents may wish to retain their receipt.

To his credit, the leader intervened to say the question was not unreasonable. That is where we had arrived: establishing whether asking about the report being discussed was an acceptable use of a Cabinet meeting.

The legal services debate offered another memorable proposition. Havering wanted greater control over its own provision, while detailed replacement costs were still being developed.

There may be a sound case for the change. But the presentation had the reassuring flavour of booking a wedding venue and asking about the price once everyone had arrived.

Then came artificial intelligence, repeatedly invoked as a source of future improvements.

The council wants technology that can handle enquiries efficiently and pass people to a human when necessary. Judging by the evening’s exchanges, Cabinet already has a working prototype. Ask a question, receive some introductory commentary, get transferred to Barbara.

Human contact would remain available, members were assured, although too many residents choosing it would undermine the savings. A wonderfully municipal dilemma: the service must meet residents’ needs, provided residents do not need the expensive bit too often.

There was serious work beneath the performance, and officers supplied useful explanations about care, contingency planning and delivery.

But the evening left one irresistible impression: Havering has ambitions stretching years into the future, while some of the answers are still waiting to be called forward.

Perhaps Barbara has them.

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