Councillor Laurance Garrard
Email: Councillorlaurance.garrard@havering.gov.uk
Council: Havering
Council Profile: View on council website
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Activity Timeline
Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.
115 meetings · Page 1 of 23
Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 27th May, 2026 7.30 pm
Overview & Scrutiny Board - Wednesday, 25th March, 2026 7.00 pm
The Overview and Scrutiny Board met to discuss a call-in of a recent Cabinet decision regarding a build to rent
scheme at the Local Housing Allowance. The Board ultimately voted not to uphold the requisition, meaning the Cabinet's decision can be implemented immediately.
Council - Wednesday, 18 March 2026 - 7.30 pm
The Council meeting on 18 March 2026 saw a significant debate and vote on the future of three libraries: Harold Wood, Gidea Park, and South Hornchurch. Ultimately, all proposals to halt their closure or disposal failed to pass. The council also approved changes to its Contract Procedure Rules and Constitution, and adopted the Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27.
Overview & Scrutiny Board - Tuesday, 17th March, 2026 7.00 pm
The Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting on 17 March 2026 discussed corporate HR metrics, including sickness absence and agency worker usage, alongside an update on the Council's commercial strategy. Key decisions included noting improvements in sickness absence rates and the ongoing implementation of the commercial strategy, with further discussions planned on refining data collection and reporting for both HR metrics and agency worker spend.
Place Overview & Scrutiny Sub Committee - Tuesday, 10th March, 2026 7.00 pm
The Place Overview and Scrutiny Subcommittee met to discuss the progress of the New Housing Allocation Scheme and the challenges of emergency temporary accommodation. Significant delays were reported in the implementation of the new housing allocation scheme due to contractor issues, leading to a surge in applications and the introduction of a working household contribution
to address potential disadvantages for employed residents. The committee also heard about the ongoing pressures on temporary accommodation, driven by increased homelessness demand and a decline in the private rented sector, with the council exploring various initiatives to increase supply and reduce reliance on costly hotels.
Decisions from Meetings
21 decisions · Page 2 of 5
ESTABLISHING THE COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL AND CONFIRMING THE SCHEME OF DELEGATION
From: Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 21st May, 2025 7.30 pm - May 21, 2025
...to establish the committees of the Council and confirm the scheme of delegation, including approving the recommendations with amendments proposed by the Labour Group not agreed.
Recommendations Approved
MAYORALTY 2025/26
From: Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 21st May, 2025 7.30 pm - May 21, 2025
...to elect Councillor Sue Ospreay as Mayor and note the appointment of Councillor Barry Mugglestone as Deputy Mayor for the 2025/26 municipal year.
Recommendations Approved
DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS
From: Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 21st May, 2025 7.30 pm - May 21, 2025
...to approve the recommendations regarding the disclosure of interests, noting that no specific interests were disclosed at the meeting.
Recommendations Approved
APPOINTMENT OF THE MEMBER CHAMPIONS
From: Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 21st May, 2025 7.30 pm - May 21, 2025
...it appointed Barry Mugglestone, Robby Misir, Bryan Vincent, and Frankie Walker as Member Champions for the Armed Forces, Equality and Diversity, the Historic Environment, and Young People, respectively, with the position for Equality and Diversity being contested and won by Robby Misir.
Recommendations Approved
APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIRMEN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES
From: Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 21st May, 2025 7.30 pm - May 21, 2025
...they appointed the chairmen and vice-chairmen of various committees, including Julie Wilkes as Chairman of the Audit Committee and John Crowder as Chairman of the Pensions Committee, while also withdrawing the nomination of Councillor Mandy Anderson for the position of Chairman of Pensions Committee.
Recommendations Approved
Summary
Meetings Attended: 115
Average per Month: 2.4
Decisions Recorded: 21 Not all decisions are recorded, so this may significantly underestimate the number of decisions actually made.