An hour free car parking: before the council elections, Conservatives promised one-hour free parking, both on the street and at the council public car parks.
After acquiring the council administration, they informed an hour’s free parking is coming this summer across high streets but have deferred free parking at the car parks, subject to the outcome of a feasibility study.
Further to this, a One-Hour Free Parking reserve has been established to fund the 2022-23 implications of the free parking initiative, but not clear whether this is just for on street parking, or for the street and council car parking both.
Potholes: the council to consider creating an in-house pothole service to improve the management and repair of potholes across the borough.
The council officers have asked to delegate authority to the director of environment to commission the study from external consultants at a cost of approximately £50k. £50k of the ratepayer’s money!!
On average, the council receive 578 enquiries from highway inspections and 492 from customer enquiries, bringing the total potholes reported per annum on average to 1,070 –  the average time taken to complete a pothole repair from inspection / notification is 4.5 days.
Improving the customer experience: the council admits many residents have felt that the council was unresponsive when trying to access services, offering little information and showing little empathy to their issues, often applying a ‘computer says no’ response. The council needs to strengthen residents’ trust by ensuring timely and effective responses, seamless customer journeys, a positive experience and ensuring a right balance between digital with more traditional channels.
Harder for residents to contact Harrow council, ongoing concern.
It is now proposed to produce a costed plan to lay out the council’s direction to improve the customer experience by putting residents first and treating both residents and businesses as valued customers
Odd that while planning improvement in accessing services, the cabinet agreed to close the telephone lines for Council Tax and Benefits to reduce the Access Harrow budget by £350k through staff reduction.
While nothing wrong in having a feasibility study about a council service to inform decision-making, the downside is that it’s outcome could be used not to deliver that service.

Some £1.47 million of the Government’s Housing Support Fund is set to go to Harrow residents this summer.
On 30 September 2021, the government announced that vulnerable households across the country will be able to access a new £500 million support fund to help them with essentials over the winter.
The grant has been extended to 30 September 2022 with an additional £500 million of funding which will be used by local authorities to support vulnerable households.
Harrow Council has confirmed how it will distribute the £1.47million summer tranche of the fund in the borough, focusing on vulnerable households with children and pensioners on Council Tax Support and Pension Credit.
The allocated grant must be dispensed by 30 September 2022 and Harrow is keen to distribute the money as quickly as possible as the cost of living concerns increase.
Cllr Stephen Greek (photo), Cabinet Member for Performance, Communications & Customer Experience, said: “We’ve considered how best we can put our residents first, and help those most in need during these challenging times. We are providing support to as many people as possible, whilst ensuring that the help is not spread too thinly. It is vital that we get this money out to where it is most needed.”
Part of the fund dispersed will be in the form of the Post Office vouchers, which can be used against energy/utility bills or for food.
Around £85,000 will be used to support households in rent arrears to help stop problems spiralling into acute difficulties, avoid court action and secure their tenancy.
Also, £135,000 for the Harrow Community Hub, ensuring it continues to provide food support until at least March 2023. The Harrow Community Hub is well-supported by the Harrow council – wonder why!!
Throughout the Covid-19, Harrow had its share of the government special grants but has been very difficult to find how exactly the money has been used – for example, who gets it, why and how much.

Planning policies and regeneration plans are being reviewed as part of the new administration’s pledge to limit tall buildings.
The review on new structures will take into consideration the impact on the local area, character and height of buildings. The Harrow council intends to adopt policies to protect the borough from inappropriate development.
Quality of homes, living standards and the design of conversions will also be reviewed to ensure it complements the character of the local area and that it accommodates additions such as bin storage or garages.
Cllr Marilyn Ashton, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Planning and Regeneration (photo), said: “We must protect our suburbs – it’s what people expect the council to do. That’s why we are working hard to get this right and stop tall buildings and inappropriate developments from being built”.
The council will now prepare a Tall Buildings Supplementary Planning Document and residential conversion guidance which will soon be adopted and used in planning decisions.
This will provide more clarity on what the council considers to be acceptable to the character of the area. It will draw upon the existing development plan (London Plan 2021 and Harrow Local Plan) and the National Planning Policy Framework.

In concluding the first cabinet meeting of his administration, leader of the Harrow council councillor Paul Osborn said, “it’s really important that we recognise that how the people are wanting to change, they recognise that they wanted things done differently and better. They wanted them to be put first.”
“And we always need to keep that in mind and remember that, and make sure we deliver on that promise to the residents and repay the trust that they’ve put in us” he added.
It can only be nice that the leader of the council is so resident-orientated and has a good grip on the work of the council, and that  the tone and style of the cabinet meeting was calm and friendly.
Another positive feature of the meeting was to have the leader of the opposition Cllr David Perry as a guest to scrutinise the council reports and enrich the debate, which Cllr Osborn appreciated as being good for ‘better decision-making’.
The cabinet approved some new initiatives, including a new Corporate Plan to be prepared to formally change the vision of the council to ‘Putting Residents First’.
Also, to instruct officers to prepare a proposed Tall Buildings SPD (Supplementary Planning Document) and residential conversion guidance. The well-prepared report was well introduced and answered by the portfolio-holder, Cllr Marilyn Ashton.
The cabinet also reaffirmed the commitment to introduce the Harrow Card, one hour free on street parking and free Bulky Waste Collection, though to carry out a feasibility study about the costs involved in some cases. The three items were introduced by the portfolio-holder for environment, Cllr Anjana Patel.
Cllr Patel appeared to be well protected as most questions regarding the items she introduced were answered by the leader Cllr Osborn after Cllr Patel appeared to be less secure in answering the Harrow Card timeline questions.
In answering a fellow councillor ‘what is the timing for feasibility study to be completed by (re Harrow Card)’, she abruptly said ‘it has been set out in the papers  – as soon as it is done, the department would put forward to us’.
While the guest, Cllr Perry raised pertinent points and helped in making well-informed decisions, not obvious the role and value for money of the three Conservative councillors appointed as the ‘Advisory Member’ to the cabinet. In view of the cabinet composition, not sure what additional or specific sociocultural contributions these ‘advisers’ could make.

Following the initiatives in some other London boroughs, like Enfield, changes to bulky waste collections in Harrow will help residents dispose of large items quickly, easily and free of charge.
Welcome news for residents wanting to remove large items but are put off or worried by the cost of removal – for example, collection charge for a mattress in is £17.40 – up to 4 items it is £64.60, up to 8 items £87.60 and up to 12 items it is £138.00.
Ad hoc fly-tipping in Harrow has increased over the years.
Cllr Paul Osborn, Leader of the council said: “When people step out of their homes, we want them to feel pride in their community. They want cleaner streets and an easy way to dispose of waste – so we are delivering on our promise of free bulky waste collections to help our residents dispose of large items quickly and easily. This measure will help to combat fly-tipping in our borough, alongside better enforcement.
“For those who break the rules by illegally dumping waste on our streets, our enforcement approach will take tougher action against those intent on blighting our borough.”
Section 45(3) of the EPA 1990 provides that ‘no charge shall be made for the collection of household waste except in cases prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State’.
Harrow has been much behind most councils who will collect things like old sofas, fridges or washing machines for a fee.

Cllr Nitesh Hirani (Con) has been an elected member of the Harrow Council since a By-Election in April 2017, representing the residents of Kenton East Ward.
His published public profile says: he is the first Conservative Councillor elected in the 40-year history of Kenton East Ward. He lives with his family in Kenton East Ward and has served 9 years as an Assistant Secretary at Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Kenton East between 2008 – 2017.
Not sure whether the ‘Lord’ is a part of his name or his title – needs clarification to avoid public confusion!

North Harrow ward councillor Janet Mote is the new Harrow mayor. Cllr Janet Mote was first elected as a Conservative councillor in 2002. Welcome!
She has held several positions of responsibility in the council. She is a former portfolio holder for Education and Schools, and was a Shadow Cabinet member. Not only that, but she serves on the Executive Committee of Harrow Heritage Trust, and is a governor at St. John Fisher Primary School.
Cllr Janet Mote is wife of late Cllr Chris mote who sadly passed away on July 29 last year. Cllr Chris Mote, deputy mayor under the last Conservative administration in 2009, was looking forward to becoming Harrow mayor in 2010, but then Conservatives lost the council, and he was not elected as mayor.
Congratulations to the now Harrow mayor to follow her late husband’s desire for the mayorship.
Harrow has a history of deputy mayors not to succeed to become mayor the following year because of the change in the council administration. This happened in 2006, 2010 and now in 2022!
Tory Cllr Ramji Chauhan has been appointed as the deputy mayor, who interestingly introduced himself as the ‘first Asian Gujarati Hindu appointed from the Conservatives as deputy mayor’!!

Harrow council new administration priority to redesign the council logo has been challenged by the local Labour MP.
Harrow West MP Gareth Thomas has expressed concern: “Heard tonight that the first priority of the new Conservative leadership of Harrow Council is to change the council’s logo in the middle of a cost of living crisis, it beggars belief that this is even on their list’.
The council recent cabinet meeting gave the go ahead to commence work on redesigning the council logo, in order to create ‘better brand awareness with residents of the Council and its services’.
Strange that the MP rather than the council opposition leader Cllr David Perry has intervened.
Deputy leader of the council, councillor Marilyn Ashton was quick to respond: “In the best part of twelve years that Labour ran Harrow Council, Gareth Thomas MP said nothing about the excessively high council tax, inappropriate tower blocks ruining the views in Harrow, the out of control fly-tipping and the arrogant and dismissive attitude of the Labour Cabinet to anyone who had the temerity to complain. Pathetic”.
Harrow Council has defended its decision to redesign the council logo – claiming it will be at “zero cost” to taxpayers. The digital roll-out of the new logo will also be zero cost, and any roll out physically onto buildings, signage and vehicles would only take place as part of the natural replacement cycle when the new logo is chosen.
The plan for a new logo states this would be achieved by working with the local college and university, and the chosen design could be part of the students’ portfolio.
Councillor Paul Osborn, leader of the council, insists the change would not cost taxpayers.
But some residents are not convinced that the use of a new logo would be cost-free: ‘Shows a lack of understanding if Osborn thinks changing the logo on website, stationary and changing the design for vehicles, bins, uniforms will be no cost. Is this really what residents want!?’
Harrow Urban District formed in 1934 gained the status of municipal borough on 4 May 1954 and the urban district council became Harrow Borough Council. The council Admin HQ at the Civic Centre was incorporated on 1 April 1965.
The criteria to design a new logo are not clear, but the expectation is that it would reflect the Harrow profile.

Following the Hillingdon initiative, Harrow council is working on a Harrow Resident Smart Card.
Hillingdon offers a Hillingdon First Residents’ Card to enable them to offer services and discounts to local Residents.
The card is used to provide discounts on parking, library services and access to leisure centres. It also offers discounts on products and services at hundreds of participating businesses.
Anyone aged 18 and over who lives in the borough can apply for a card – residents aged 17 who drive can also apply for a card. Membership of the scheme is free.
The Harrow Card can provide savings to people that live in the borough and shop locally.
The introduction of the card could ensure that the free one-hour parking that the council is introducing can be targeted specifically to Harrow residents.
The integration of access to parking, leisure and libraries through a single card can also declutter the number of cards that people need to carry with them. A Harrow smart Card could also enable local businesses to target their promotions to residents.
“The combination to access to one hour’s free parking and the local shopping offers will provide a stimulus to encourage residents to spend their money in Harrow” the council claims.
The card feasibility study will consider how the council targets access to its services through a card. In addition to parking, this could also include providing free access to the council’s Recycling Centre and charging non-residents. The council could consider targeting special promotions at the
Harrow Arts Centre to local residents.
The pricing schedule indicates that a card could be issued in less than 6 months.
Although no public consultation on this important matter is planned, we take the new council administration’s objectives ‘a thriving economy’ and ‘putting residents first’ seriously, and therefore suggest the  residents to express their views on aspects like bulk buying cards and issuing to residents, residents self-ordering cards and the level of integration required, for example parking, leisure, libraries, business directory, app.
The relevant officer to write to is Mark Billington, director inclusive economy leisure and culture at mark.billington@harrow.gov.uk

In his first public communication as the leader of the Harrow council, councillor Paul Osborn informs about forthcoming benefits for the residents and the senior manager changes at the civic centre.
The Council Tax Energy rebate (£150 energy payment to eligible Harrow council taxpayers) would be issued soon.
There’s also a reminder about Free School Meals (FSM) during the upcoming half-term for eligible pupils, where schools will receive £15 per eligible child to access Free School Meals (FSM) during half-term.
Management changes include: Patrick (Pat) Flaherty has been selected as Harrow council’s chief executive. He will replace Sean Harriss, who leaves next month.
‘Pat will join us in the autumn from Somerset County Council, where he has worked as Chief Executive for eight years’ informs Cllr Osborn.
Cllr Osborn also informs that Paul Hewitt, corporate director of people services, will serve as interim chief executive to ensure a smooth transition.
All sounds well but as the emphasis is on ‘putting residents first’, one wonders about the rational, management structure and the mechanics to deliver ‘residents first’!
The rational would become apparent from a public report on whether ‘residents first’ has been mapped across the work of the council, which could then inform a fully costed programme to implement ‘residents first’.
Mr Flaherty is coming from Somerset County Council (population White British 94.6%, Asian background 0.2%, Indian background 0.1%, Pakistani 0%) to Harrow (further to census 2011, projected population Indian 29.1%, other Asians 12.1%, Pakistani 3.9%).
Hope he would be able to adjust quick/well to look after Harrow’s diverse population and their different but equally important needs, as well as working with a highly diverse member population.
The other concern is that the practices at the corporate directorate of people services led to the perception that Harrow council distances relevant officers from the community, which resulted in a vote losing factor for the last administration.
Hopefully the acting chief executive would appreciate that residents access to the council officers and efficient response to residents queries etc, go a long way to build  confidence in the council administration.
Harrow has a history of acting chief executives moving on once the substantial is in the office!