The Council meeting on 21 January 2026 saw a lengthy debate and eventual agreement on a revised motion concerning Mercury Land Holdings, following procedural discussions and extensions to the meeting time. Key decisions were also made regarding park safety, the appointment of a Member Champion for the Voluntary Sector, and the formalisation of financial support for the Havering Volunteer Centre.

Park Safety

The Council agreed to amend its report on park safety to include results from a targeted safety perception survey. Following debate, an amendment proposed by the Conservative Group was agreed, which means the Council will now campaign for additional, sustainable external funding to increase the number of Parks Police Officers in Havering. This decision acknowledges current capacity constraints and the expiry of temporary enforcement funding in March 2026. Councillor Barry Mugglestone, Cabinet Member for Environment and Deputy Mayor of Havering, thanked officers for their work on the report and stated the importance of residents knowing their parks are safe.

Appointment of Member Champion for the Voluntary Sector

Councillor Christine Vickery was appointed as the Member Champion for the Voluntary Sector. This proposal, put forward by the Conservative Group, was agreed without division.

Urgent Motion on Mercury Land Holdings

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an urgent motion concerning Mercury Land Holdings (MLH). The motion, proposed by the Administration, sought to revise MLH's business plan to focus on delivering affordable housing and reducing temporary accommodation costs once the company reached its breakeven point.

The debate was lengthy, involving procedural discussions about the urgency of the motion and attempts to defer it. Ultimately, the Council agreed to a revised motion which stated that the original motion would be agreed on the proviso that MLH's business plans would be reviewed by the Places Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee the following week, and an emergency full Council meeting would be added to the diary for a potential emergency motion if required. This revised motion was agreed by 40 votes to 6, with 2 abstentions.

Havering Volunteer Centre

The Council unanimously passed a motion congratulating the Havering Volunteer Centre on its tenth anniversary and committing to formalising its financial support for the centre in the forthcoming budget. This motion was put forward by the Labour Group.

Council Meeting Dates

A motion proposed by the Residents' Association Independent Group, suggesting that future Full Council Meetings should be scheduled outside of the London Borough of Havering's published school holiday dates to help members and officers with school-age families, was agreed. This was passed by 30 votes to 1, with 17 abstentions.

Other Matters Discussed

During the Members' Questions session, several issues were raised:

• Asylum Seekers' Accommodation: Councillor Dilip Patel asked about Havering's participation in a government scheme to house asylum seekers. Councillor Natasha Summers, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Housing Need, confirmed that Havering had not taken up the invitation due to existing housing pressures and the cost of temporary accommodation.
• CCTV in Romford Town Centre: Councillor Jane Keane inquired about the use of CCTV to prevent vandalism and misuse of parking amenities. Councillor Barry Mugglestone, Cabinet Member for Environment, stated that CCTV is used for crime prevention and detection, but no vandalism to street furniture had been captured on camera in the past 12 months. He agreed to provide further information on the use of CCTV for crime detection.
• Penalty Charge Notices: Councillor Darren Wise raised concerns about the accuracy of real-time updates for Civil Enforcement Officers' handheld devices. Councillor Mugglestone confirmed the systems work in real-time and that customers can use the challenge process if they believe a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued incorrectly. He agreed to obtain information on PCNs issued in Harold Wood ward.
• Planned Provision for the Traveller Community: Councillor Keith Prince questioned the provision for the traveller community and the status of existing sites. Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of the Council, stated that work was underway on a new Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment and that the Council had acted swiftly on unauthorised developments.
• Parking in Hornchurch: Councillor Judith Holt asked about extending free parking initiatives. Councillor Mugglestone confirmed that changes in Hornchurch were a pilot and would be monitored, with no immediate plans for further tariff changes elsewhere.
• Speed Restrictions in Wennington Road: Councillor Trevor McKeever raised concerns about speeding on Wennington Road. Councillor Mugglestone outlined recent road safety improvements and noted that the Council does not have speed enforcement powers, which lie with the police. He indicated that 20mph limits would be considered where supported by local councillors and residents.
• Repairs to Potholes: Councillor Martin Goode asked about the percentage of pothole repairs that require re-addressing. Councillor Mugglestone stated that less than 1% of potholes require re-addressing, and the Council's preference is for permanent repairs.
• Visitor Parking Permits: Councillor Judith Holt inquired about adapting visitor parking permits to smaller time increments. Councillor Mugglestone stated that the current regime and charges were considered reasonable, and smaller increments were not being considered.
• Planning Contraventions in Romford Town Centre: Councillor Jane Keane raised concerns about increased rubbish dumping in South Street, Romford, and a specific block of flats. Councillor Williamson stated that Planning Enforcement had been notified to investigate and enforce accordingly.
• Gallows Corner: Councillor Christine Vickery asked about reconsidering the enforcement of yellow box junctions affected by diversions due to ongoing works at Gallows Corner. Councillor Mugglestone acknowledged the issues caused by the delays and stated that pausing enforcement would be counterproductive. He agreed to arrange a site visit.
• Housing Allocations: Councillor Keith Darvill asked about addressing the backlog of housing applications. Councillor Natasha Summers outlined an action plan involving additional officers, prioritisation of applications, and streamlined verification, attributing delays to the new software system.
• North Street/Como Street Subway, Romford: Councillor David Taylor inquired about the start dates for work on the subways. Councillor Graham Williamson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, explained that the start date had been pushed back to summer 2027 due to expanded modelling requirements from TfL.
• Temporary Homes on the Waterloo Estate: Councillor David Taylor asked for an update on temporary homes on the Waterloo Estate. Councillor Williamson reported that preparatory works were in progress, modular units were in production, and occupation was expected in May 2026, with delays attributed to a better quality specification.
• Road Safety - Lower Mawneys: Councillor Viddy Persaud requested a traffic monitoring exercise in Lower Mawneys. Councillor Mugglestone confirmed that traffic surveys were being commissioned and that local amendments to lines and signs were being arranged.
• Parking Enforcement: Councillor Nisha Patel raised concerns about residents being fined despite entering their number plate correctly. Councillor Mugglestone stated that he was meeting regularly with parking enforcement officers to discuss such issues and that residents should challenge PCNs. He welcomed any specific points from Councillor Patel to improve the system.

The meeting concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.