Streetlife

Proved to me I was right not to vote for all 3 of them.

Please see Freedom of Information act 2000  http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/contents

If people do what they say they will do for the good of all ie for the benefit of the community at large, who cares what affiliation they have?

I would suggest if they can not tell you and resort to the freedom of information legislation they are hiding the fact they have done little or nothing.I agree it matters not there affiliation its just your ward councillor ask them who ever they are or what flavour their politics.They are all much the same in any case.There are no conviction politics left in this country just time servers and lobby followers.

Robert, I could not agree more regarding your comment on 'time servers and loby followers'.  What we need is action.  We are forever saying 'Action speaks louder than words'. So may the Community speak for itself.

'lobby'

Why don't you stand for the Council? and show them how to do the job!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henny_Penny

Well Hugh, now there's a thought worth contemplating but I wouldn't have the first idea of how to apply for such a position which only goes to show how well/widely the process is publicised :)

Marie I M, Ask at the office of the council where you want to become a councillor, I sure they will give you lots of help.

Im voting for an Independent at the 2014 council elections,the main parties follow the party line at the expense of the electorate,
As for the party in power at the moment where can I start,we pay the third highest rate of council tax in London ,while this mob enjoy one of the top allowances,yet supply very poor services

To return to the orginal question'

Yes I  have found that two out of the three Councillors for Brookland s have been most helpfull in getting problem's sorted.

It does take a bit of prodding but in the end they have cone though .

Thank you Barry and Fred......

Dave W
             I dont know if you are aware,but Michael White leader of the council and on appox 70k a year of council tax payers money,sacked Fred who was leader of a council committee,he might of sacked him because he was to good at his job and got things done.
As for Barry we all know his dad,who the tories kicked out of the party,

Should the sins of the FATHER be visited on to the son??????

White and both the Kellys should be at the top of the hit list at the next election....

The Torries only need to loose 7 or 8 seat to loose over all control of Havering council.

I agree with you regarding the next council election,as for the sins of the FATHER i know nothing about that.

There is a little Clique who control the whole council always getting their cronies on the Committees I name no names .
However some are well known.
Its important to get fresh blood into the next and maybe get them to cut the numbers of councillors and office space needed.The Old town hall would earn millions if sold and Houses or sports centre built instead.The council can share its facilities with Dagenham and Redbridge cutting costs by Millions.
If you consider that for many years councillors were voluntary getting no salary and they had the same number of ward members .Now we pay a full salary for any man or woman but expect no more from them and in fact a lot less as they communicate by email have access to video conference and now hold no public meetings in their wards.
They get money for old rope .If I was elected i would work for half what they earn now and publish my expenses every week on my Blog spot.

Havering Town Hall is a listed building and so could not be demolished for building of houses.  

For those thinking about standing for election you need to realise that you will sacrifice a whole lot of family life.  I stood in my twenties and was among few young people and the majority of those on the council were much older.  It was hard work and there were no allowances.  That was in 1974 in Barking & Dagenham for 8 years.  I missed my children growing up and you can never get that back - so be warned!  I also did a stint on Newham Council in the eighties and was on Havering Council 1994 - 2006.  Masochist!!  Was Leader of the Council 1998 - 2002.  Never was a careerist politician looking for a seat in Westminster (like so many)  but spending several nights in the week in the Town Hall is not most people's idea of fun!!  I now have to scrabble for the remote control to see a programme on TV I want to watch!  When Michael White succeeded me as Leader in 2002 when the Tories took control of the Council the Leader's allowance was increased by fourfold plus as were other 'responsibility' allowances.  You would like to think that you get what you pay for.............perhaps voter apathy ensures you get what you deserve.......or look at other countries - or just look at our own Parliament!  Happy to discuss with anyone interested.

Robert, perhaps we should stand together at the next election (or how ever one goes about it :) )

I doubt I would get elected I have too many beliefs in getting things done and developing economic policies to help the people.
I have been helping a charity to supply household goods to people with none its unbelievable that in this borough women with children have to sleep on the floor as they have no bed or table etc.
People have to beg at food banks for food for children and at the same time the councillors cost us millions.
I am sure that if the town hall was left closed for a while it would magically catch fire like several other listed buildings have over the last ten years then it could be built on.

That's exactly why you should put yourself forward!

Do you think I could stand on the issue of taking all street furniture from Havering uncluttering the streets and redeploying all the traffic wardens to sweep the streets.
I would have a gang going around filling in pot holes and funding it by raising the council taxes on expensive Emerson park homes.

Naivety rules ( on my part) :

When it comes to local elections, why is there not a non political Federation of Independent Resident Associations who as a group put up at least one candidate per ward, more if possible, in order to try and control or even overturn the majority of one political party?

Has this been tried in the past ?.

In Dagenham we have 51 councillors, 49 labour, 1 Tory and 1 Independent (and I believe that he is a socialist) I know the balance in Havering is some what different so therefore would my suggestion not be more successful ?

Or is it just a case of apathy rules as well as naivety ?

Honestly independent councillors have little chance of success they will not have the back up or the man power to get out and inform the mostly uninterested electorate.
They will also have some diverse probably one reason to be elected and you cant put much information on your ballot name.
In my ward there were four independents none of whom had contacted me or any one I know.
People tend to vote for the main parties believing the councillor to follow some fairly standard policies.
Independent councillors also suffer from not having the office back up to deal with the paper work the council workers will send in order to swamp any councillor without a secretary and workers.
Look at any independent councillors you know see how they vote they will follow the main stream lines and be fairly ineffective.Has an independent councillor done any thing good for you lately.
However remember no councillor is there to encourage world peace they actually have little to do  No council housing no control of schools no public meetings no letters to write its all email so what do they do. Dagenham could manage with 12 councillors that's more than enough.

Ray H says 'Havering Town Hall is a listed building and so could not be demolished for building of houses.'  When has that ever stopped them?  Our local councillors are so famous, I wouldn't know any of them if I fell over them.

Ray is the lack of back up for non-main stream party councillors due to the fact that back up is provided by the party or does the local authority bear some of this responsibility ?

I ask this as the local authorities seem to be a major employer in their various locations and it beggars the question of what do these masses of administrators do to earn their wages ?