Key Points
- Havering Borough Council has operated under no overall control for years, with no single party holding a majority.
- The Havering Residents Association (HRA) leads a minority administration after pushing Conservatives aside in 2022 with Labour support, but financial difficulties persist.
- HRA leader Ray Morgon, not standing for re-election, noted steps taken to improve Romford Town Centre but more work needed, blaming littering on locals and visitors.
- Conservatives aim for comeback but lost three councillors to Reform UK ahead of 7 May 2026 election; Romford MP Andrew Rosindell also defected to Reform UK.
- Conservative candidate Michael White stated voters feel betrayed by Reform defections and urged support to remain with Conservatives.
- Council borrowed £237 million from government to avoid bankruptcy, closed libraries, and faces ongoing service challenges .
Reform UK Seeks (East London Times) April 21, 2026Havering, east London, sees Reform UK positioning for gains in the fragmented borough council ahead of the 7 May 2026 election, amid defections from Conservatives and persistent financial woes under the current Havering Residents Association (HRA) minority administration. The borough, long without a single-party majority, has witnessed three Conservative councillors switch to Reform UK—Keith Prince in October 2025 and two more in February 2026—while Romford MP Andrew Rosindell defected in January 2026, citing the Conservative Party’s ties to past government mistakes. As reported by BBC News, HRA leader Ray Morgon, who is not standing in the election, addressed voter concerns over Romford Town Centre improvements.
Why is Reform UK Targeting Havering Council?
Reform UK aims to capitalise on voter dissatisfaction in Havering, a borough known for independent politics since its 1965 establishment as one of London’s 32 councils. Following the 2022 election, Conservatives held 23 seats as the largest party but short of the 28 needed for majority; HRA secured 20 seats and formed a coalition with Labour’s 9 seats, installing Ray Morgon (HRA, Hacton) as leader.
The coalition ended in June 2024, leaving HRA in minority control with 25 seats by early 2026, Conservatives at 14, Labour at 8, Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association at 3, independents at 2, and Reform at 3.
Defections have reshaped the landscape: in September 2022, three Conservatives from Rainham and Wennington joined HRA post-Wennington wildfire; further shifts included Labour’s Paul McGeary to HRA in May 2024, and Jackie McArdle’s return to Conservatives in July 2024 .
Romford Conservative Association faces internal row, with Rosindell’s image still on posters outside Margaret Thatcher House despite his January 2026 defection, where he stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the “time has come to put country before party”.
As reported by Michael White, Conservative candidate in Squirrels Heath ward, to BBC News: “People voted for the party in good faith and found themselves with a Reform MP; didn’t vote for that, a Reform councillor – didn’t vote for that”. He added:
“People are very angry out there about what’s happened and I hope those people will stay with us”.
What Challenges Face Current HRA Administration?
Havering’s financial difficulties, inherited by HRA, have intensified, with the council borrowing £237 million from the UK government via exceptional financial support to avoid a Section 114 bankruptcy notice: £32.5 million for 2024/25, £88 million for 2025/26, and £77 million for 2026/27.
Key events include closing three library branches, response to the 2022 Wennington wildfire, opposition to Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion, approval of Romford town centre masterplan, and plans to sell six council car parks for housing .
Ray Morgon, leader of the HRA and councillor for Hacton ward, told BBC News: “We realised we did need to take steps to improve Romford Town Centre, and we have done so already, but there is still more to be done”. On littering, a voter issue, he said:
“We realised we did need to take steps to improve Romford Town Centre, and we have done so already, but there is still more to be done. Littering, an issue raised by voters, was ‘often down to local people and people visiting the borough’. He added: ‘Instead of using the bins that are around in the town centre, why are you dropping it on the floor?'”.
Councillor Ray Morgon, contactable at [email protected] or 01708 432037, has been vocal; in November 2025, he described the situation as “hitting rock bottom,” noting tough decisions like library closures drew public backlash.
A 2024 tribunal appeal against publishing a 2020 diversity report revealing normalised sexism and racism failed, and a judicial review overturned exemption from cleaning Launders Lane illegal landfill .
How Are Conservatives Responding to Reform Defections?
Conservatives announced 23 candidates for Romford wards in March 2025, but seven later joined Reform UK, now standing for the party across 19 wards electing 55 councillors on 7 May 2026 via multi-member first-past-the-post .
Michael White, standing in Squirrels Heath alongside Adam Baker and Spencer Seaton (Conservatives), Michael White (Conservative), emphasised voter anger over unintended Reform representation.
Reform fields candidates like Keith Prince in Gooshays, with others including Terry Clarke and Jeff Garnett in Cranham, showing broad contestation; HRA candidates include Reg Whitney and Julie Wilkes in Hacton . Wikipedia notes ward details, such as Beam Park with Reform’s Alan Harding and Jai Rathi challenging Residents and others .
White warned of Reform’s proposal to shift Havering from London to Essex, potentially losing Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, Freedom Pass, and bus concessions serving all 32 boroughs. Romford MP Andrew Rosindell’s defection, despite his face on Conservative posters amid headquarters dispute, underscores tensions.
What Local Issues Might Sway Havering Voters?
Beyond politics, Havering faces waste service changes with new recycling for glass and plastics, delayed weekly food waste collection past March 2026 deadline, temporary modular homes at Waterloo estate, and a proposed data centre on green belt land .
Climate emergency declaration and Romford masterplan approval highlight priorities resonating beyond Romford.
The election uses 2022 boundaries for the second time, with voters aged 18+ eligible, including postal/proxy options; polling 7am-10pm on 7 May 2026 . No overall control persists, with HRA’s minority hold vulnerable amid Reform’s push and Conservative recovery bid.
Background of the Development
Havering London Borough Council, established in 1965, has never had a single-party majority post-1968 elections, fostering unique alliances like the 2022 HRA-Labour coalition that ended in 2024.
Financial strains escalated with £237 million government loans, library closures, and service cuts; defections accelerated in 2025-2026, with Conservatives dropping from 23 to 14 seats, enabling Reform’s entry. Ray Morgon’s HRA leadership navigated wildfires, ULEZ opposition, and town centre plans, setting stage for 2026’s all-out election.
Prediction: Impact on Havering Residents
Reform UK’s gains through defections could fragment Conservative votes, potentially strengthening HRA’s minority or enabling Reform breakthroughs in wards like Squirrels Heath and Gooshays, affecting service delivery continuity for residents reliant on London-wide benefits like Freedom Pass and police. Persistent financial borrowing may limit council responses to litter, housing, and waste issues raised by voters, influencing priorities such as Romford improvements for local people and visitors. Borough voters face choices impacting green belt developments, recycling expansions, and fiscal stability ahead of 7 May 2026 .
