About us

The community and its welfare matter most

The Harrow Monitoring Group was formally launched in 2014, building on many years of collective experience serving the community in Harrow and beyond.
We are an independent community-based public interest group. We are not an online newspaper or a blog. Our role is to research, monitor, analyse and publish information on issues affecting the welfare, rights and quality of life of residents.
Our work promotes informed public debate and greater accountability by examining the policies, decisions and practices of public authorities and other bodies where these have an impact on local communities.
Our objectives are to:

• Promote social justice by encouraging fairness, equality, transparency and accountability in public life.
• Monitor public policy and decision-making, identifying where policies or practices adversely affect residents, particularly those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or under-represented.
• Highlight deprivation and inequality, with particular attention to neighbourhoods identified through the Index of Multiple Deprivation and to wider issues affecting social and economic wellbeing.
• Inform and educate the public by publishing research, evidence-based analysis, commentary and questions that encourage informed discussion on local and national issues. Our work is available through the Home and Publications sections of this website.
• Encourage civic participation by supporting residents in understanding how public institutions operate and how decision-makers can be held accountable.

Our publications demonstrate our continuing commitment to these objectives through detailed examination of issues including governance, public services, housing, planning, policing, equality, democratic accountability and community welfare.
At our core is a simple principle: the welfare of the community comes first. We work collectively, independently and transparently to ensure that residents’ concerns are heard, that public bodies remain accountable, and that decisions affecting the community are subject to informed public scrutiny.
The Harrow Monitoring Group is independent and is not affiliated with or part of any political party.