The Governance Committee of Havering Council met on Friday 29 May 2026. The meeting was scheduled to consider a Stage Three Children's Complaint Review Panel Report and associated guidance notes for complainants.

Stage Three Children's Complaint Review Panel Report (HAV885379)

The primary item scheduled for discussion was a report concerning a Stage Three Children's Complaint Review Panel, identified by the reference HAV885379. This report, which was provided to the attendees, details the findings and recommendations of a panel convened to review a child's complaint. The panel's role is to review what has previously occurred in relation to a complaint and to make recommendations to Children's Services. The report itself would have contained a summary of the representations made and the panel's recommendations for resolving the issues raised.

The report pack also included guidance notes for complainants, which were intended to inform individuals about the procedure for hearings. These notes outlined the process for attending a hearing in person, including the right to be accompanied and represented. They explained that the panel's process is inquisitorial, meaning the panel members would ask questions to gather information. The guidance also detailed the potential outcomes of the panel's review: either dismissing the complaint in whole or in part, or upholding it and deciding on the necessary actions. The report pack indicated that the panel's role is limited to reviewing existing information and that it cannot conduct its own enquiries or consider matters not present in the Stage Two Report.

Following the panel's decision, a written report is compiled within five working days, which is then sent to the local authority and the complainant. The local authority then has 15 working days to respond with its proposed actions. The guidance notes also mentioned that the meeting would take place at Havering Town Hall, Romford.

The meeting was scheduled to be chaired by Mr Colm Nolan, with Ms Nicola Manners and Ms Dawn Hutcheon also serving as independent panellists. The report pack indicated that Zena Smith, Head of Committee and Election Services, was associated with the documentation. The agenda also noted that the public might be excluded from certain parts of the meeting due to the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined by Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.