Leader of the London Borough of Havering

The Leader of the London Borough of Havering is an annually elected position that occurs during the Annual Council Meeting of May each year. Since 2004, Cllr. Michael White, a Conservative Party politician and Member for Squirrels Heath Ward in Gidea Park has served in this post.

History

The post of Leader of the Council was instituted when the borough was created in 1965 and to date there have been ten Leaders.

• 1965 - 1967 Not Applicable
• 1967 - 1971 Cllr. Jack Moultrie (Conservative Party)
• 1971 - 1974 Cllr. M.J. Ward (Labour Party)
• 1974 - 1977 Cllr. Jack Moultrie (Conservative Party)
• 1977 - 1978 Cllr. W.A. Sibley (Conservative Party)
• 1978 - 1984 Cllr. Jack Moultrie (Conservative Party)
• 1984 - 1990 Cllr. Roger Ramsey (Conservative Party)
• 1990 - 1996 Cllr. Arthur Latham (Labour Party] )
• 1996 - 1997 Cllr. Louise Sinclair (Residents Group) and Cllr. Roger Ramsey (Conservative Party)
• 1998 - 1998 Cllr. Wilf Mills (Labour Party)
• 1998 - 2002 Cllr. Ray Harris (Labour Party)
• 2002 - 2004 Cllr. Eric Munday (Conservative Party)
• 2004 - Present Cllr. Michael White (Conservative Party)

Post

According to the Constitution of the London Borough of Havering [http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4025&p=0] , the post of Leader of the Council comprises the following functions.

Purpose

1. To provide effective political leadership and strategic direction for the Council.

2. To ensure effective Corporate Governance.

3. To provide effective stewardship of the Council.

4. To chair the Cabinet and ensure that it achieves its terms of reference.

5. To ensure that the Council delivers high quality, value for money services.

Duties and responsibilities

1. To provide the political leadership to the Council, including proposing thepolicy framework within which the Council will operate and to take suchexecutive action as may be delegated by the authority.
2. To ensure effective Corporate Governance including working with oppositiongroups to seek to achieve where possible cross party co-operation.
3. To lead the Cabinet and be responsible for the Council’s corporate andresource strategy.
4. To ensure that the Cabinet achieves its terms of reference both collectivelyand as individual portfolio holders.
5. To ensure the effective integration of roles, responsibilities and functions withinthe Cabinet membership.
6. As Leader of the Council, to be the key contact for outside organisations(including Central Government, Local Authority Associations and Councilpartners) and the Council’s Senior Management Team.
7. To be the representative voice of the Council, for example, in its dealings withCentral Government, other Local Authorities and their Associations and topositively promote the Council as a whole in the media.
8. To act as the political spokesperson for the Council.
9. To promote the long term financial, business and economic stability of theCouncil.
10. To encourage the highest standards of probity and corporate governance forthe well being of the borough.
11. To communicate the Administration’s policies and priorities to the SeniorManagement Team and to receive their advice.

External links

# [http://www.havering.gov.uk London Borough of Havering]
# [http://leaderofhavering.wordpress.com Leader of Havering's blog]