Havering Consultations

During December 2025 we ran a ‘Christmas Means Community’ campaign to bring residents together through joyful, inclusive activities that embrace diversity, boost wellbeing, and strengthen connections. 

Hosted by our Housing Engagement Team and our fantastic partners, we held events that spread festive cheer and created opportunities for everyone to get involved and feel part of something special. 

We asked you for your favourite things at Christmas, be it food, people, traditions and Christmas songs.

Many people shared their views on our social media channels, and we had 17 people respond to our online survey.   

This is the data from the online survey: 

• The most Christmas cheer came jointly from the post code areas of RM13 (Rainham, South Hornchurch, Wennington and Beam Park East) and RM14 (Upminster, Cranham, North Ockendon and Bulphan). 

• The most favourite Christmas song was jointly Driving Home for Christmas (Chris Rea) and Fairytale of New York (The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl). 

• Your most favourite festive tradition was spending time with your family, whether by having Christmas dinner together, watching a Christmas movie, shopping or baking together. 

• You shared your favourite recipes which included homemade cookies, cakes, sausage rolls, left-over turkey pie and a twist on cooking brussels sprouts for those who don’t like them! 

• Most residents said that the people or person who made Christmas special for them was their family, neighbours, front-line people working over Christmas and Santa!  

We shared your feedback on social media and in our Living in Havering e-newsletter.  You can sign up here for Havering Council news and updates. 

During November and December 2025, we carried out a 6 week consultation to ask Havering residents about their views on our draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) 2025-30. 

The draft plan sets out the actions we’ll take to tackle air pollution and protect public health. Our focus is on reducing harmful pollutants like Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) and Particulate Matter (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) - most of which come from road traffic, but also from sources like construction, wood burners, domestic heating and industry. 

We received over 130 responses to our survey, both online and by email from individuals, groups and statutory consultees. 

We are currently analysing your feedback and adjustments will be made to the final plan where needed. 

Adoption of Havering’s Air Quality Action Plan 2025-30 by the Council requires the prior ratification of the plan by the GLA and a decision by our Cabinet.  We are striving to achieve this within this administration, prior to the local elections in May and will be able to share the finalised plan, consultation report and analysis with you then.

Between November 2024 and December 2025, we asked our residents to help us fight for our fair share of government funding by signing our petition and writing to their local MP.

In 2010, the Council received £70 million of Revenue Support Grant which is now £2 million today. The Revenue Support Grant coupled with other funding such as business rates makes up the Council’s core grant known as the Settlement Funding Assessment.  This was reduced from £100 million to £40 million over the same time period. Despite the borough’s fast changing population, Havering’s core grant remains one of the lowest in London.

This formula means Havering Council Taxpayers are having to pay more to fund the increasing costs of helping vulnerable people than in parts of London, like Westminster, and parts of Essex.

Residents took part in our online petition, signed the petition in our libraries and at face-to-face opportunities in the borough.

We received almost 6,000 signatures, a clear demand from residents that Havering deserves a funding settlement that truly meets its needs and rapidly changing population.

Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, delivered our petition to Downing Street on 18 December 2025.

This action followed the Government’s announcement of its financial settlement for Havering for the next three years.

While the settlement includes an increase to the Council’s ‘core grant’ to just under £40 million, it falls far short of addressing the significant financial challenges the borough faces, following years of historic underfunding, as well as adding new burdens expected of us. 

The petition will now be considered by the Government, and Havering Council will continue to press for a fairer deal that reflects the true needs of our community.

You can read Havering Council’s press release here.