Key Points:
- Councillor Sue Ospreay elected Mayor of Havering at the 21 May 2025 Annual Council meeting.
- Ospreay is a member of the Havering Residents Association (HRA) and represents Rainham and Wennington.
- She previously served as Deputy Mayor in 2024/25.
- Councillor Barry Mugglestone, of Elm Park ward, appointed Deputy Mayor.
- Labour’s Councillor Pat Brown was defeated in a members’ vote.
- HRA accused by Labour of breaking a prior agreement to alternate the mayoralty.
- Ospreay pledges to be “the people’s Mayor”, focusing on civic engagement.
- Her chosen mayoral charity is the MCA Trust, which supports children with cancer.
- The role is largely ceremonial but represents Havering at over 600 community events annually.
- Story originally reported by Sebastian Mann of Yellow Advertiser.
Havering Council has elected Councillor Sue Ospreay of the Havering Residents Association as Mayor for the 2025/26 municipal year, following a vote at the Annual Council meeting on Wednesday, 21 May 2025.
Who is the newly elected Mayor of Havering?
As reported by Sebastian Mann of the Yellow Advertiser, Councillor Sue Ospreay was appointed Mayor during a full council meeting. She represents the Rainham and Wennington ward and previously served as Deputy Mayor for the 2024/25 term under Councillor Gerry O’Sullivan.
Ospreay, who has been active in local environmental campaigns and charity work since her 2022 election, was nominated by council leader Ray Morgon. He described her as “community-orientated” and praised her commitment to local issues, including clean-up campaigns and support for families affected by environmental concerns in Launders Lane.
Who was chosen as Deputy Mayor?
As per Sebastian Mann in the Yellow Advertiser, Councillor Barry Mugglestone, who represents the Elm Park ward and serves as cabinet member for environment, was appointed as Deputy Mayor. His appointment solidifies the HRA’s continuing leadership in Havering’s ceremonial roles.
Was the election contested?
Yes. Labour group leader Councillor Keith Darvill nominated Councillor Pat Brown for the mayoralty. Brown, who had also served as Deputy Mayor and was nominated in 2024, lost in a vote among councillors.
The Labour group expressed disappointment with the result, arguing it broke an agreement made when Labour and the HRA formed a coalition in 2022. That agreement, they claim, included an understanding that the parties would alternate the mayoral position each year.
According to Sebastian Mann of the Yellow Advertiser, Cllr Darvill stated the HRA’s support of O’Sullivan last year and Ospreay this year constituted “a break in trust” and was a “fundamental reason” behind the coalition’s breakdown.
What are the responsibilities of the Mayor of Havering?
The mayoralty is a ceremonial post, with the Mayor acting as the first citizen of Havering. The role involves chairing full council meetings and representing the borough at a wide range of public events—typically about 600 per year.
Despite the symbolic nature of the office, the Mayor is expected to act impartially in council sessions and serve as a unifying figure across political divisions.
What are Mayor Ospreay’s priorities for the year?
As reported by Sebastian Mann in the Yellow Advertiser, in her acceptance speech, Councillor Ospreay expressed gratitude for the confidence shown in her and vowed to be “the people’s Mayor.” She emphasised her intention to promote civic engagement and ensure residents’ voices are heard at council level.
She announced that her chosen charity for the mayoral year is the MCA Trust, which supports local children living with cancer and their families. This marks a continuation of her previous fundraising efforts in support of health and youth-focused causes in the community.
What does this mean for local politics in Havering?
While the mayoral role does not influence executive council decisions, the continued appointment of HRA councillors to the position underscores the group’s political dominance following the collapse of the coalition with Labour.
The breakdown of the alternating mayoral agreement is likely to deepen existing divisions between the two groups. Nevertheless, Cllr Ospreay’s pledge to remain apolitical in her mayoral capacity suggests an effort to maintain civic unity during her term.
