Apologies have been received from Councillors Mandy Anderson, Laurance Garrard and Katharine Tumilty.

To note any other apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Mandy Anderson, Laurance Garrard, Carol Smith and Katharine Tumilty.

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 19 November 2025 (attached).

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 19 November 2025 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To receive announcements (if any).

The Mayor informed Members of the forthcoming children’s Princes and Princesses Ball on 28 February as well as the planned Civic Dinner.

The Mayor congratulated everyone involved with the Havering entry which had won first prize at the London New Year’s Day parade. The trophy was presented at the meeting by members of a local drama group who had worked on the entry and was greeted by warm applause from all sides of the Chamber. The Leader of the Council also offered his congratulations on the winning Havering entry.

To receive any petition presented pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23.

Note: No notices of intention to present a petition have been received.

There were no petitions presented at the meeting.

NOTE: The deadline for amendments is midnight, Monday  19 January 2026.

A.           To consider the report of the Governance Committee on an Individual Polling Place Review (attached);

B.           To consider a report of the Chief Executive on Park Safety (attached);

C.        To consider any other report or motion presented pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 2(h)

A.   INDIVIDUAL POLLING POLLING PLACE REVIEW

A report of Governance Committee sought approval for the change of a Polling Place location from the former Gidea Park Library to Squirrels Heath School.

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the decision of Governance Committee to change the Polling Place for Polling District SQ3 (Squirrels Heath ward) from Gidea Park Library to Squirrels Heath School be approved.

7B. PARK SAFETY

A report of the Chief Executive outlined the current crime and anti-social behaviour position in Havering’s parks with particular emphasis on Raphael Park following specific concern raised about this location over the past 12 – 18 months. This was also in response to a previous Council motion requesting further details to be given of the Council’s work in this area.

Question on behalf of the Conservative Group

Can the report please be amended to include results from a targeted safety perception survey conducted within the past 12 months with a demographic breakdown (age, frequency of park usage).

In response, the Cabinet Member thanked officers for their work on the report and stated that it was important that residents knew that Havering parks were safe. The Cabinet Member agreed with the points raised in the question.

Deemed motion by the Administration

That the report be adopted and its recommendations carried into effect.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

That the recommendations section of the report be amended to read as follows:

That the Council resolves to campaign for additional, sustainable external funding to increase the number of Parks Police Officers in Havering, in recognition of capacity constraints and the expiry of temporary enforcement funding in March 2026.

Following debate, the amendment by  the Conservative Group was AGREED without division and AGREED as the substantive motion, without division. It was RESOLVED:

That the Council resolves to campaign for additional, sustainable external funding to increase the number of Parks Police Officers in Havering, in recognition of capacity constraints and the expiry of temporary enforcement funding in March 2026.

7C. NOMINATION OF MEMBER CHAMPION FOR VOLUNTARY SECTOR

A proposal by the Conservative Group that Councillor Christine Vickery should be appointed as the Member Champion for the Voluntary Sector was AGREED, without division and it was RESOLVED:

That Councillor Christine Vickery be appointed as Member Champion for the Voluntary Sector.

Attached.

Fifteen questions were asked and responded to. A summary, including of the supplementary questions and answers given, is attached as appendix 1 to these minutes.

Attached.

URGENT MOTION – MERECURY LAND HOLDINGS

Members discussed whether discussed whether this emergency motion by the Administration should be treated as such. The Monitoring Officer advised that the motion had been submitted correctly.

Motion by the Administration

This Council recommends a revision of the Mercury Land Holding business plan, to focus the company on delivering much needed affordable housing and driving down temporary accommodation costs, once it has reached its breakeven number of properties.

A procedural motion to have an open ended meeting was NOT CARRIED by 41 votes to 7 with 0 abstentions (see division 1).

A procedural motion that the meeting be adjourned and reconvened at a later date was NOT CARRIED by 25 votes to 3 with 0 abstentions (see division 2).

A procedural that the meeting be extended to 23:00 was CARRIED by 28 votes to 14 with abstentions (see division 3).

A procedural motion that the meeting be extended to 23:15 was AGREED without division.

Revised urgent motion by the Administration:

That the motion by the Administration:

That a revision of the Mercury Land Holding Business Plan be made, to focus the company on delivering much needed affordable housing and driving down temporary accommodation costs, once it has reached its breakeven number of properties

be agreed on the proviso that Mercury Land Holdings be on next week’s Places Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee agenda and an emergency full Council meeting be added to the diary for an emergency motion if required.

was AGREED by 40 votes to 6 with 2 abstentions (see division 4) and it was RESOLVED:

That the motion by the Administration:

That a revision of the Mercury Land Holding Business Plan be made, to focus the company on delivering much needed affordable housing and driving down temporary accommodation costs, once it has reached its breakeven number of properties

be agreed on the proviso that Mercury Land Holdings be on next week’s Places Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee agenda and an emergency full Council meeting be added to the diary for an emergency motion if required.

9A. CASE TRACKER SYSTEM

Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council calls on this Administration to halt the current rollout of the new Case Tracker System on the grounds that its design threatens to undermine the ability of elected members to properly and effectively serve their residents. 

Amendment on behalf of the Havering Residents Association Group

This Council calls on this Administration to review the current rollout of the new Case Tracker System in order to consider its effectiveness in consultation with councillors regarding the design, implementation and intended use of the system.

This motion was withdrawn by the Conservative Group and resubmitted to the next available meeting of Council.

9B. LIBRARIES

Motion on behalf of Councillors Keith Prince and Michael White

This Council calls upon the Administration to halt all plans to pass on, sell or demolish the three libraries which were closed in 2025 (namely Harold Wood, Gidea Park and South Hornchurch libraries). Harold  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

The record of voting decisions is attached as appendix 2 to these minutes.