Havering Council have launched their budget consultation with local residents. Funding for our Council budget comes from many sources such as Council Tax and grants from central government and each year the Council has to set a budget to decide how much to spend on services for Havering residents and businesses for the next financial year and how much income we need from government and Council Tax to fund this. The Council is now looking at the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the next 4 years.
The council are facing a dramatic reduction in the amount of Revenue Support Grant that it receives from Central Government. This reduction in funding has occurred at the same time as demand for council services has increased due to a growing population in general and in particular an increase in the number of elderly and very young people in the borough.
Havering’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) indicates that without remedial action the Council will be faced with an increasing budget gap of more than £37m over the next four years. By 2020/21, Central Government intend to reform the system for funding local government which will mean all local authorities will need to be self-sufficient.
Many areas of the Council’s budget are demand driven, particularly in Children’s Services, Adult Social Care services and Housing. In these areas the Council is keen to prioritise preventative activity that will ultimately reduce this demand.
The Council must in law set a balanced budget for the next financial year (2019/20) by the middle of March 2019 and have a strategy in place for dealing with the gap over the next three financial years that the MTFS has identified.
The budget consultation will take place from the 1 August – 30 September 2018.
Public consultation events
| Area | Venue | Address | Date and time | Car Parking Facilities |
| Rainham | Library | 6 Celtic Farm Road Rainham RM13 9GP |
Wednesday 1 August 6.30-8pm |
No |
| Elm Park | HASWA Hall | Greenfields Kilmartin Way Hornchurch RM12 5NB |
Thursday 2 August 6.30-8pm |
Limited |
| Harold Hill | MyPlace | 343 Dagnam Park Drive Harold Hill RM3 9EN |
Friday 3 August 6.30-8pm |
Limited |
| Harold Wood | Library | Arundel Road Harold Wood RM3 0RX |
Wednesday 29 August 6.30-8pm |
No |
| Romford | Town Hall | Main Road Romford RM1 3BD |
Friday 31 August 10-11.30am |
Yes |
| Hornchurch | Library | 44 North Street Hornchurch RM11 1TB |
Friday 31 August 6.30-8pm |
Yes |
| Collier Row | North Romford Community Area | 32 Clockhouse Lane Romford RM5 3QJ |
Thursday 20 September 6.30-8pm |
Yes |
| Hornchurch | Library | 44 North Street Hornchurch RM11 1TB |
Friday 21 September 1.30-3pm |
Yes |
| Romford | Town Hall | Main Road Romford RM1 3BD |
Friday 21 September 6.30-8pm |
Yes |
| Upminster | New Windmill Hall | ST Mary’s Lane Upminster RM14 2QH |
Tuesday 25 September 6.30-8pm |
Yes |
Your views are important to us. Your feedback to the consultation will help us decide which services we prioritise.
The consultation survey will be live on our website throughout August and September for you to complete and give your views.
We want as many people as possible to take part, so in addition to an online survey, there will also be paper copies of the budget consultation available to pick up in all local libraries and from the Town Hall.
You will also have the chance to have your say at a number of public events, and at the Havering Show over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The outcomes of this consultation will be analysed and presented at Cabinet on 14 November 2018 when Council looks at arrangement for the budget. Further details on the consultation can be found here:
https://www.havering.gov.uk/news/article/411/have_your_say_-_budget_consultation_2019_-_2023
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