Havering Council Reverses Climate Emergency Under Reform UK 2026

Key Points

• Reform UK, which took control of Havering Council in May 2026 with a 39-councillor majority, is set to table a motion to rescind the climate emergency declaration made in March 2023.
• The original climate emergency declaration was passed by the previous Havering Residents Association (HRA) and Labour coalition administration, with former Labour group leader Keith Darvill stating it “further emphasised both the urgency and seriousness” of the council’s climate policies.
• The new Reform UK administration argues that the climate emergency declaration creates a “disproportionate, financially burdensome” policy direction that is insufficiently balanced against other council responsibilities.
• This is the second major policy shift under Reform UK, following the decision to ban Pride flags on council buildings, with only the Armed Forces Flag and Union Flag now permitted.
• The motion includes five resolutions: rescinding the climate emergency, reviewing strategies dependent on net-zero ambitions, ensuring future environmental policies are balanced, pursuing only “sensible and practical” environmental improvements, and routing policy amendments through proper constitutional processes.
• The motion is expected to pass at the full council meeting later this month due to Reform UK’s sizable majority.

Havering Council (East London Times) July 11, 2026 – Havering Council is preparing to overturn its 2023 climate emergency declaration after Reform UK secured control of the East London borough in May’s local elections. The motion, which will be tabled at a full council meeting later this month, marks the second significant policy reversal under the new administration, following its decision to prohibit the display of Pride flags on council-owned buildings.

The previous administration, a coalition of the Havering Residents Association (HRA) and Labour, declared the climate emergency in March 2023.

As reported by the Havering Daily, Labour Councillor and Cabinet Member for the Environment Keith Darvill proposed the motion, which was carried by 42 votes to zero with five abstentions.

At the time, Darvill stated that the declaration “further emphasised both the urgency and seriousness” of the council’s climate policies.

However, the Reform UK administration, which now holds a 39-councillor majority, contends that the climate emergency declaration has created a policy framework that is “disproportionate, financially burdensome and insufficiently balanced” against the council’s wider responsibilities.

According to the motion obtained by local reporters, the council will now prioritise what it describes as “proportionate, evidence-based, financially responsible” policies that align with residents’ needs.

What does the Reform UK motion propose?

The motion to rescind the climate emergency declaration lays out five specific resolutions. First, it proposes formally rescinding the climate emergency declaration made in March 2023. Second, council officers will be ordered to identify any strategies, plans or targets that are

“directly dependent upon or materially shaped by”

the declaration or any “non-statutory net-zero ambitions”.

Third, the town hall will ensure that any environmental policies in the future are “considered through a balanced framework” based on value for money, statutory responsibilities, deliverability, the impact on residents, and environmental benefits.

Fourth, the council will only pursue “sensible and practical environmental improvements”. Fifth, any amendments to council policy must be

“brought forward through the appropriate constitutional and decision-making processes”.

The Reform UK administration states that while it

“recognises that environmental stewardship remains an important responsibility of local government”

in terms of maintaining green spaces, keeping streets clean and managing waste, it believes the climate emergency declaration has led to policies that place

“unnecessary cost, restriction, or pressure on residents, motorists, businesses, or essential council services”.

How does this fit into Reform UK’s wider council policy agenda?

This development follows the administration’s earlier decision to end Havering’s decade-long tradition of flying the Pride flag at the town hall to mark the start of Pride Month.

As reported by Metro, council leader Keith Prince told the publication that the borough will only fly flags that “recognise our heroes like the armed forces”, with the only permitted flags being the Armed Forces Flag and the national Union Flag.

The Pride flag policy change drew protests from residents, who placed rainbow and trans flags at Romford Town Hall in response.

As reported by the East London Times, Reform UK leader Keith Prince responded to the protests by reiterating that the Union Flag “symbolises our nation and is thus inclusive of all our residents”.

Reform UK has issued guidance to its councils across England directing them to refrain from displaying any flags apart from the Union Flag or the St George’s Cross.

Similar prohibitions on displaying the Pride flag and organizing Pride events have been enacted by Reform-led councils in Kent, Durham, Leicestershire, Essex, Sunderland, Gateshead, and South Tyneside.

What was the original climate emergency declaration?

The climate emergency declaration was passed at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday 22 March 2023. According to Havering Council’s official records, the Labour motion was passed by 42 votes to 0 with 5 abstentions. The motion resolved that

“This Council resolves to declare a Climate Change Emergency”.

democracy.

As reported by the Havering Daily, Councillor Keith Darvill stated at the time:

“Given the recent reports, science and events in Havering, the Council believes now is the time to declare a climate emergency.”

The motion was described as largely symbolic, though it was intended to emphasise the urgency and seriousness of the council’s commitment to climate action.

Following the declaration, Havering Council developed the Havering Climate Change Action Plan (HCCAP), which set ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions.

The council’s Climate Change Annual Report, incorporating carbon emissions data, was presented to Cabinet on 14 June 2023, with the priority shifting “from ambition to delivery” to track progress against milestones.

Will the motion pass?

With Reform UK’s 39-councillor majority in the chamber, the motion is expected to pass when it is tabled at the full council meeting later this month.

This would be the first full council meeting since Reform UK won control of the town hall from the HRA in May 2026.

Similar motions have already been passed by other Reform UK-led councils. Kent County Council reversed its climate emergency declaration in September 2025, with the motion approved by a vote of 50 in favor, 21 against, and three abstentions.

Staffordshire County Council also voted to overturn its climate emergency declaration in October 2025, with the council indicating its focus would shift to “immediate environmental concerns” rather than “chasing unattainable targets that are decades away”.

Background: How did the climate emergency declaration come about?

The climate emergency declaration emerged from a coalition administration of the Havering Residents Association (HRA) and Labour, which controlled the council prior to the May 2026 local elections.

The motion was proposed by Labour Councillor Keith Darvill, who served as Cabinet Member for the Environment under the previous administration.

The declaration was part of a broader trend among UK local authorities, with many councils declaring climate emergencies in the late 2010s and early 2020s in response to growing scientific evidence of anthropogenic climate change.

Havering’s declaration came in March 2023, later than many other councils, but was passed unanimously by those voting (42 to 0, with 5 abstentions).

Following the declaration, the council developed the Havering Climate Change Action Plan, which set out targets for reducing carbon emissions and established a monitoring framework to track progress.

The council’s 2023 Climate Change Annual Report incorporated carbon emissions data and outlined the shift from setting ambitions to delivering against targets.democracy.

Prediction: How might this development affect Havering residents and stakeholders?

The reversal of the climate emergency declaration is likely to have several implications for different groups in Havering. For residents concerned about climate change and environmental issues, the decision may be seen as a retreat from the council’s previous commitment to climate action.

Environmental groups and campaigners may view the move as undermining the council’s role in addressing a global challenge at the local level.

For local businesses and motorists, the Reform UK administration’s stated aim of avoiding policies that place “unnecessary cost, restriction, or pressure” on these groups may be welcomed.

The emphasis on “value for money” and “financial resilience” suggests the council will be more cautious about pursuing environmental policies that could increase costs for residents or businesses.

For council officers and those responsible for implementing environmental policies, the requirement to identify strategies “directly dependent upon or materially shaped by” the climate emergency declaration may lead to significant changes in how environmental initiatives are planned and delivered.

The new “balanced framework” for considering environmental policies could result in some existing initiatives being scaled back or discontinued.

For the broader political landscape, this development reflects a wider trend among Reform UK-led councils, which have been axing net-zero targets and climate emergency declarations across England.

As noted by the LSE Grantham Research Institute, the actions of Reform UK councils in 2025 and 2026 may signal a shift in how local authorities approach climate policy, with potential implications for national climate action efforts.