LOCAL ELECTIONS 2010 |
Click the name of the ward to see
election information in regard to that ward.
Election Message from the
Residents' Association.
The success of the Residents' Association comes from our deeply entrenched belief that the interests of our residents come first and foremost . We are forward thinking and have the expertise and know-how to serve the residents of Havering without the constraints, dogma and central control of mainstream political parties.
Unlike the usual mainstream political parties, who appear just before an election and then disappear again right after, the Residents' Association are active in the community all year round .
The Residents' Association have NO ties with any political party. We judge issues and decision making on how it impacts on the community and residents and respond accordingly.
The Residents' Association in Havering is the largest in England. Our membership has seen exceptional growth over the last four years. This is because the Residents' Association offer the residents of Havering representation and leadership based on honest values and the certainty that local issues are best dealt with by local people. Indeed, we have seen such growth, that potential candidates for the local elections prefer to come to us than the mainstream parties.
While the RA will always focus and respond on local issues, in terms of borough wide policies, we will:
- Restore Free Car Parking to out-of-Romford
- Protect our Green Spaces and Oppose Over Development
- Maintain Weekly Refuse Collections
- Increase Funding for Pavement and Road Repairs
- Work with the police to tackle anti-social behaviour and increase the size of the Anti-Graffiti Team
- Reduce councillor allowances
- Increase Funding for Heritage in Havering
- Keep Council Tax to an Absolute Minimum
- Reprioritise use of CCTV Enforcement Vehicles
- Scrap the fortnightly ‘Living' newspaper and replace with a less frequent and unbiased community magazine
The Residents' Association also believe it is important to be equipped with all the facts before casting your vote. The pages of the Living newspaper would have you believe that the current Administration is doing a wonderful job, but here are just a couple of facts which tell a different story:
• Resident Satisfaction – A recent survey (MORI poll) of residents' views ranked Havering Council as providing the worst value for money across the whole of London. The same survey ranked Havering Council as the worst for overall satisfaction among residents across Greater London. These are facts that are very worrying and it is something that must be improved upon.
• Council Tax – even after the recent reduction, Council Tax in Havering is still the 3 rd highest in London and average increases in the previous years have all been above the London average.
While any relief on the burden of Council Tax is a move in the right direction, residents are invited to ponder one question - would there have been a 0.4% reduction if there were not an election around the corner? If the answer is no, then a vote for the local Tories is a vote for cynicism.
Residents are shrewd enough to see through the gloss and spin so closely associated with the local Tories and will, when it comes to the local elections on May 6th, focus on community leadership through substance rather than spin.