The council works much better when the opposition works as a critical friend, assisting the administration whenever possible and suggesting healthy alternatives whenever necessary.
In Harrow, the performance of the opposition Tory group,  enjoying over £250,000 public money in allowances per year, is very weak under Cllr Hall’s leadership, leading to inadequate challenge regarding such basic matters as the borough cleanliness, increased fly tipping, and the waste collection and disposal.
Also, as Cllr Hall appears to have no confidence in the chief executive since his return to the post that was “unilaterally and wrongly” deleted by her short-lived administration which forced the chief executive Michael Lockwood to go, it is difficult for the Tory group to play a positive role in providing good services to the residents.
Therefore, it is quite understandable that the Tory group members wish to use their voice to make an impact and expect a real sense of direction to show and demonstrate strength to voters (Tory group lost the councils in 2010 and 2014 as well as two by-elections in between, under Cllr Hall’s leadership) and Cllr Hall now leads a highly divided group where 42.31% members of her group did not vote for her at the recent leadership election.
Furthermore, Cllr Hall is under police investigation.
The outcome of all this is that Harrow council Tory opposition is almost in hibernation for months (the last press release by the group was in February 2016, according to its web blog), effectively leaving the council administration unchecked.
It would be professionally sound for Cllr Hall to step down to give her group a chance of being an effective opposition as well as winning the council.

As Harrow East MP Bob Blackman has swiftly changed his direction from opposing Theresa May’s position to ‘remain’ in EU, to backing her, now prime minister, would he be able to remind Mrs May about the deprivation in Harrow, a place she visited to unsuccessfully uplift Tory profile at the elections.
London poverty and the council reports point out:
Harrow had the highest rate of low paid jobs of any London borough, having grown significantly between 2010 and 2014 (from 21% to 37%), but about average for low paid residents (21%).
By the end of last year, over 15000 families in Harrow were receiving Tax Credits, which helped the lowest paid families in Harrow with the cost of essential items such as food, child care and heating – as the cuts to universal credit will only compound the social and economic divisions , would the government now commit to reversing those changes so that our children do not have to pay the price of his government’s political choices.
Harrow had a high rate of under-attainment at GCSE level among pupils receiving free school meals (60% didn’t attain 5 A*-C GCSEs or equivalent), suggesting that while the majority of children do well relative to the rest of London, being from a low income family has a very significant effect in terms of educational attainment in Harrow, not being able to afford private tutoring.
Wealdstone is Harrow’s most deprived ward based on the overall Index of Multiple Deprivation.

London March for Europe on 2 July 2016 (click here to watch the video) packed the Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, Parliament Square and adjoining streets – estimated over 50,000 people at a very short notice – giving clear messages:

Because of such  strong feelings nationally, in Harrow, that overwhelmingly voted to remain in EU, it would be democratically sound for the Harrow MPs like Mr Blackman, who promoted the divisive Brexit for selfish reasons, to vote ‘ignore’ referendum outcome, if he respects Harrow’s democratic majority vote.

Remain 54.6% 64042 votes      Leave 45.4% 53183 votes

Good that Harrow reacted moderately to the right-wing politics of hate/ fear/ and scaremongering.
However, Harrow has to face the adverse impact of ‘leave’ like more expensive goods and holidays because of a low pound not seen since 1985.
Describing the economic climate, Dennis de Jong, managing director of UFX.com said, “Britain’s EU referendum has been a cloud hanging over the global economy for the past few months and that cloud has got very dark this morning”.
Harrow politicians now need to resist conceding to UKIP on immigration and challenge far right nationalism as leave vote is seemingly a reflection of anti-austerity anger directed at immigrants.
We glean mixed feelings about the David Cameron resignation.
However, his dignified resignation makes many in Harrow to question why the leader of the Harrow Conservative group Cllr Hall is lingering on, despite a chain of her leadership failures; losing the council in 2010 and 2014 and two by-elections as well as now leading a highly divided group as 42.31% members of her group did not vote for her at the recent leadership election, the group researcher leaving and she being  under police investigation

Quite understandable why the Harrow council opposition is almost in hibernation – Cllr Hall, who now leads a highly divided group as 42.31% members of her group did not vote for her at the recent leadership election and the group researcher leaving, is under police investigation – but odd that Harrow council is too quiet about its successes.
For example, the cabinet papers inform about some recent initiatives to improve the place, including the investment in the borough’s infrastructure:
Re-surfaced 22.5 km of Harrow’s 460km road network and carried out 2,000 repairs to carriageways including potholes related work.
Reconstructed 22,129 linear meters of footways and carried out 3,500 repairs to footways to improve safety to residents and visitors.
Replaced around 2,150 lighting columns with LED technology to improve safety and energy efficiency.
Planted over 200 street trees to green the environment.
Refurbishment work at Headstone Manor pavilion – Headstone Manor project is ongoing, and the Great Barn work has been completed in 15/16. The site will be used as for holding events and weddings, providing an income stream going forward.
Improvement to the public realm, creating an identity for the Station Road corridor and engaging businesses and their employees to achieve a sense of ownership, relevance and sustainability.
Master planning work has commenced at various sites and a design team has been appointed for Station Road Quarter to take forward the scheme.
An online platform for local businesses to promote their businesses and offer discounts to Harrow residents.

The Early Years Strategy report to the Harrow cabinet points out that the most disadvantaged in the borough are more likely not to attend early years provision, due to the high rates of childcare costs – the most commonly used types of registered childcare are day nurseries.
This disparity is concerning considering that Harrow’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Strategy identifies the need for high quality provision and outcomes based on a continuity of provision for all children, but especially vulnerable children including disabled children and those with special educational needs [SEND].
Also, the well argued Childcare Sufficiency Assessment report informs that parents/carers of children with special educational needs/additional needs are less satisfied with childcare compared to parents/carers of children without SEN/additional needs (42% compared to 72%), and that 25% of parents/ carers who have children with SEN can’t find childcare for their child, compared to 2% of parents/carers whose children do not have SEN/additional needs. A similar lack of suitable early years provision for children was identified in 2011.

Overall, only 65% of parents/carers report being satisfied/very satisfied with childcare in 2016 where White British parents/carers are 8% more likely to be satisfied with their current childcare arrangements than families from other ethnicities (77% compared to 69%) – seemingly a decline from the 2011 picture.

It would be interesting to see the effectiveness of the Harrow’s Early Years Strategy in addressing the  gaps in the Early Years provisions.

In a public presentation, the Harrow Council meeting on 19 May is to mark their appreciation of the forty-five years service by Councillor Christine Bednell to the London Borough of Harrow. Since the creation of the London Borough of Harrow in 1964, no other councillor has given such long and diligent service.
Christine, a Conservative councillor for Stanmore since 1986, was first elected to the council in 1968 from the then Wealdstone North ward.
Christine, much interested in the areas of Education and Social Services, has served on various council committees including Cabinet, the Policy and Resources Committee, Education, Arts and Leisure Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committee, School Organisation Committee and Call-In Sub-Committee. She has also held the Portfolios for Children’s Services, Lifelong Learning and Cultural Services and Issues facing Older People, and Schools and Development. Christine was Harrow deputy mayor in 1985 and mayor in 1986.
Christine has been a part of a happy Conservative group under previous leaders, whether in administration or opposition. But the group has suffered many setbacks since 2010; for example, losing administrations and by-elections, and now the leader of the group is being investigated by police (also see The Harrow Times ).
Furthermore, Cllr Hall leads a highly divided group as 42.31% members of her group did not vote for her at the recent leadership election.

Soon after supporting the commonly condemned race specific and divisive campaign for London mayoral election, the Tory MP asked the Secretary of State for Health, how many tests for vitamin D were carried out in England in the last three years and the cost for providing such tests.
It is common knowledge that Asians in the UK have more deficiency of vitamin D and ample statistical information regarding this matter is already in public domain!
Difficult to see Mr Blackman’s interest in the data he has asked for, unless it is to play with the figures to criticise Asian cultural differences, mostly female specific and more in certain female due to less exposure to sun light because of covering their skin while outside etc.
If really interested in the health of all, his helpful question to the health secretary could have been regarding the measures taken to address the lack of vitamin D in our population, particularly the Asians.
For example, raising awareness of the risks of vitamin D deficiency, standardising the definition of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in winter and summer for comparison, vitamin D supplement during pregnancy and infants to regularly receive a specified amount of vitamin D daily.

Update: Cllr Hall was not seen at the social gathering at the Members Lounge after Harrow Mayor-making on 19/5/2016, perhaps to avoid embarrassment due to the police investigating her non-declaration of pecuniary interest at a council meeting or not to shake hand to greet the incoming mayor Cllr Rekha Shah which conventionally takes place at the entrance of the Members Lounge. 20/5/2016
Despite being asked by the newspapers, leader of the opposition Cllr Hall has not commented on the council’s wise decision to keep the Bridge open.
The centre in Christchurch Avenue for people with mental health problems was proposed for closure due to budgetary reasons.
A petition to save the Bridge was started by the opposition Tory group on the council few months ago, and then it was carried through by the hard fighting campaigners and supporters for the centre.
It is odd for a publicity seeking councillor to miss the front pages but is understandable as Cllr Hall is under police investigation for the reported non-declaration of pecuniary interest at a council meeting where she presented a petition regarding the Wealdstone development. Cllr Hall runs a shop in Wealdstone.
Also, Cllr Hall now leads a highly divided group as 42.31% members of her group did not vote for her at the recent leadership election.

As predicted,  Cllr Sachin Shah has been elected as the leader of the Labour group and will lead the council from May 2016. Cllr Keith Ferry remains as the deputy leader.

We wish them well!

Sachin, Bsc (Hons), a Queensbury ward councillor, was first elected to the council  in 2010. He is Finance and Major Contracts Portfolio Holder and is likely to retain this responsibility.

Tory group leadership election result will be out tomorrow (13/4/16) – if Cllr Ashton wins, she will be a good intellectual match to Sachin!