Seemingly, Marlborough ward councillor David Perry is in for the Harrow Labour group leadership, held by Cllr Graham Henson at present.
Labour has lost the council at the council elections 2022 due to some localised Tory exploitation of certain voters in Harrow East where Labour lost 6 out of 7 seats.
Councillor Perry, elected in 2006, won the leadership of the group in 2013, replacing council leader Cllr Thaya Idaikkadar who then formed the Independent Labour group, claiming racism within the group, and led the council.  (Thaya Idaikkadar is now an elected Tory councillor in Harrow)
Councillor Perry  led the authority after Labour winning the 2014 election, but stepped down as leader of Harrow Council in 2016. Cllr Sachin Shah (not a councillor now) succeeded him.
Cllr Graham Henson was elected leader of the Harrow’s Labour Group, less than a week after it returned a record number of councillors at the 2018 borough elections.
He defeated Cllr Sachin Shah, then leader, by 22 to 13 votes.
The Harrow Labour group has long political rifts based on factions like socialists, Momentum and Harrow West MP’s right-wing Blairite foot-soldiers which are now many in the new council. Apparently, Cllr Henson is not a Blairite.

The Times of India reports Ameet Jogia, co-chairman of Conservative Friends of India and also a Harrow councillor, said ‘ Harrow has one of the largest British Indian communities in the country and it voted Conservative.
In London we lost three councils, but the big story is we won Harrow all because of the British Indian community’.
‘Another thing that we think swung it was the UK PM’s trip to India. That was only a few weeks ago and there was a lot of debate on whether he should go or not and we really pushed for him to go. He was the first Conservative PM to go to Gujarat, and he galvanised the Gujarati community here… it shows the impact engagement can have.’.

But there are counterarguments:
‘Why does Ameet Jogia refer to Labour Indians & Conservative Indians (PIO= people of Indian origin)? Surely the voters of Harrow made their decision regardless of someone’s ethnicity or colour’.
‘Conservatives Indians lost in Headstone, Marlborough, Wealdstone North, Wealdstone South, Labour strongholds, they only won in Tory areas. Bob’s hard work & Boundary changes helped Tories to gain 7 seats’.
Harrow has a significant Gujarati population, but Conservatives won 6 out of 7 seats in Harrow East, the constituency represented by the Tory MP Bob Blackman.
Would be interesting to see any evidence of the Conservative Friends of India’s contribution in the Conservatives election campaign in Harrow.

Harrow council elections May 2022 were held for 55 seats in 22 wards – overall turnout was 37.85%!
Conservatives now have 31 and Labour 24 seats – Labour lost council seats in Kenton East, Kenton West, Edgware, Rayners Lane. But there is not much difference in the total votes gained by the two political parties.
Very odd that Harrow, more so Harrow East,  has not followed the London pattern of Labour gains, not even in the neighbouring Barnet which is won by Labour who never controlled the council with an overall majority! Many say this is because of a  unique local feature – long term Tory exploitation of a certain community/ place of worship in Harrow East. Perhaps Harrow East MP Blackman needs a pat on the back.
Shopkeeper/ small businesses we spoke to welcome council change as Conservatives have committed to one-hour free parking in the borough.
The politicians we spoke to before the elections pointed out many weaknesses in the leadership and management at the civic centre.
For example, Labour administration often wasted money, as good ideas were poorly processed. The council sold land to developers who advertised this abroad for investment opportunities. Also, unaffordable homes being advertised to overseas buyers.
It was a nightmare to contact the council with new online forms and links that loop round in circles without a telephone number, email or clear contact.
The last point was quite serious, as Harrow has a history of election losses by the ruling group on the council due to single-issue concerns.
We look forward to strong leadership and management at the council, possibly deploying David Ashton for finances, Marilyn Ashton for planning, Jean Lammiman for community, Janet Mote for education, and meaningful interaction with residents throughout. Also, that the civic centre would not be quarantined at the ‘depot’ (waste disposal site) with restricted public access.

Independent candidate for Marlborough Ward in the Harrow council elections this May highlights that independent councillors represent the voice of residents, not the government or local political parties.
Nish Patel points out some weaknesses in the work of the council that can be helped, including?
The school street scheme went ahead even though only 4 percent responded.  [a School Street is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times, but these in Harrow are thoughtlessly put in place].
Money wasted, as often good ideas are poorly processed. £2m pavement scam where a few council workers were sacked but those in higher positions who signed off on the plans continue without consequences.
The council is selling land to developers who are advertising this abroad for investment opportunities. Also, unaffordable homes being advertised to overseas buyers.
It has become a nightmare to contact the council with new online forms and links that loop round in circles without a telephone number, email or clear contact.
The last point is quite serious, as Harrow has a history of election losses by the ruling group on the council due to single-issue concerns.
Soon after winning the council in 2006, Conservatives lost the Harrow Weald by-election because the public rejected new bin collection arrangements under Cllr Susan Hall, portfolio holder for environment. Because of the same portfolio holder’s recklessness, Conservatives lost the council due to her arrogant implementation of CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) in certain parts of the borough.

Harrow Council elections are in May 2022!


(Chairman Stoke Poges and Wexham Conservatives, Treasurer Beaconsfield Constituency Conservative Association)
Harrow East MP has no respect or credibility because of his divisive politics. He relies on stirring up socio-religious emotions to secure votes from the Gujarati and Jewish background voters.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a right-wing party in India – why it has been established in the UK prompts that it is to exploit Indian background voters by opportunist politicians engaged with the right-wing politics!!

Conservatives: one hour free parking at the council car parks, extra street cleaning, more enforcement against illegal HMOs (house in multiple occupation), free bulky waste collection.
They say they have proposed a budget amendment which would have delivered on the priorities of local people. They say ‘Labour chose to stick with their short-term plan of gimmicks and wasteful spending’  – for example, £3.7m on failed IT projects, £44m on civic centre project and second-highest Council Tax in London.
Harrow Greens don’t have a manifesto for the local elections but publicise their various campaigns, interventions and petitions over the years to improve the quality of life in Harrow.
Labour: they are committed to safer communities, economic recovery & social justice (though apparently some dedicated Harrow socialists have been systematically ditched). They identify the following steps to achieve their set priorities:
To tackle anti-social behaviour and crime by increasing CCTV coverage, installing more LED lights and investing in dealing with domestic violence. Delivering 30 minutes free on-street parking. A new ‘fly-tip task force’ and doubling street cleaning in Harrow’s high streets and town centres.
They report some wonderful people are helping clean our streets (not ratepayers job to do this), and show support for LGBT community.
Liberal Democrats: they would go for greener housing without high-rise – use Council powers to make sure dwellings are not kept empty without good reason, a Harrow Card to deliver benefits to residents and businesses, make Harrow cleaner and greener, and fight fly-tipping. They pledge to keep the council tax as low as possible – will fight for a better share of Government funds.
They say they will use all the local authority powers to tackle knife crime; and will set yearly targets for a reduction in crime in Harrow, so the progress could be measured.
‘We will promote planting of trees, new or as replacement, in the parks and along streets’ they say.

David Ashton (Con):  Chairman of the Harrow East Conservative Association, and ex Belmont councillor who led the Conservative group on the council and the Harrow council very well. He did not stand for the council in 2010 (probably due to too much bickering from his deputy, Cllr Susan Hall, all the time). If elected for the Centenary ward, he would be an asset to the council’s financial decision-making team.
Peymana Assad (Lab): sitting Roxeth ward councillor with responsibility for community cohesion who plays hard on her Afghan ethnicity and claims victimhood (‘woman of colour and Muslim’) when her community cohesion inadequacies are challenged. Like, when  Cllr Marilyn Ashton pointed out at the cabinet meeting of 23 September 2021, that “a member of cabinet who’s in charge of community cohesion, who has tweeted that she will take up arms against the Afghan government and its allies (at the time in recent past), and labelled Israel is an apartheid state and spread doubts about the AstraZeneca as presented a vaccine”. Her many tweets also give sense of a needle for Pakistan.
Salim Chowdhury (Con): Hotelier and ex councillor for Pinner South who did not stand for re-election in 2010 because of his business commitments. He seems to be head-hunted, since Harrow conservatives have been criticised for having Islamophobic elements and no Muslim councillor. He, along with his Bangladeshi friends of the Conservative Party,  is loyal to the Harrow East MP Blackman, who has been in the news headlines for his Islamophobia related activities. He is now standing for the Centenary ward.
Thaya Idaikkadar (Con): Ex Roxeth ward Labour councillor and the leader of the Harrow council who left the Labour group on the council in 2013 amid racism claims . He formed and led the Independent Labour Group that ran the council with the support of the Tory group on the council, but then he was ousted by the same Tory group some months later in a power grabbing sharp move – the short-lived Tory administration lost the council in the 2014 elections. He is standing for the Rayners Lane ward.
Anjana Patel (Con): A West Harrow rejected and Harrow East adopted councillor is re-standing for the Belmont ward. Islamophobia: her tweet to Muslim activist and  Nobel Prize holder Malala Yousafzai, obtained by LBC radio station, was included in Islamophobia dossier. Many of her tweets (some now cleverly deleted) tag @PMOIndia @narendramodi (Indian PM Modi).

Responding to the Statutory and Non-Statutory Consultation regarding a residential development in Harrow, Clinical Commissioning Group would like to seek a capital contribution of £62,650.
The application, reported to Planning Committee for granting the planning permission, relates to the development at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (9 Station Road) and Harrow council Civic Car Park A, which extends along Milton Road.
The application site is within the Opportunity Area and forms part of an allocated site for the wider redevelopment of the Harrow Civic Centre.
This development is the apartment building with height ranging from 4 to 7 storeys, comprising 29 residential units and ten 3 storey townhouses.
The intention is to  offer these units to Harrow residents at Harrow income levels.
In responding to the CCG demand, the planning officer said, “Whilst the NHS seeks a capital contribution, no justification has been provided as to why a development of this scale and nature would be required to make a capital contribution towards the NHS. It is therefore considered to be unreasonable and disproportionate. Furthermore, Harrow Council is committed to using CIL* revenues and other funding sources to help deliver social, economic and environmental infrastructure to support and meet the demands arising from development.”
[*CIL is a levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money should be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods want]

Very interesting that a trial scheme at the Northwick Park Hospital to redirect some people attending accident and emergency to elsewhere outside the hospital, has been hailed a success.
Wonder if this screening for patient care has been blessed by the Healthwatch Harrow and the West London Clinical Commissioning Groups, and who is defining the ‘success’ taking account of the distress caused by redirecting patients like elderly, vulnerable and children to elsewhere?
Such a screening at the hospital A&E entrance to find who needs emergency treatment might ease pressure on the hospital, save NHS some money and help to counter public outcry about long delays in getting emergency treatment at the hospital, but is not a healthy alternative to fully funded efficient emergency treatment at the hospital.
Add to all this the fact that the *face to face consultation with Harrow GPs is rare should give a good idea about the quality of patient care in Harrow!
Fresh in the Harrow memory is the closure of the much-loved Walk-in Centres and Urgent Care Centres (UCCs), which were proudly introduced as alternatives to accident and emergency departments and which provided treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, without an appointment. Bring these back to help out the A&E.
Considering experiences of sending patients back to community, let us have assurance that the patients with life-threatening conditions like subarachnoid haemorrhage, heart attack, compromised air ways etc will have emergency treatment at the hospital and not shunted around in the community.
[*We posed a question:  how exactly the pandemic has added more pressure on GPs to the fact that face to face consultations are rare in Harrow, given that it is the 111/119 and not GPs who deal with patients with Covid symptoms, and where needed hospitals provide the treatment?
Following is a typical GP response:  “Face to face consultation is the norm and much easier and quicker for all GPS, some people with higher authority do not want this to happen and don’t want primary care to get back to the same work pattern. We are not even allowed to keep surgery doors open for easy access and our receptionist are now working as a gate-keepers and don’t have time to answer the phone or do other admin work”.