City Hall has issued a formal acknowledgment of the Harrow Monitoring Group’s recent submission to the Mayor of London, commending the organisation for its “important” and “constructive” contribution to the ongoing debate about accessible and inclusive public consultation in the planning system. In a detailed response (MGLA121125-8307), London Plan Manager Marissa Ryan-Hernandez thanked the GroupContinue reading “City Hall welcomes Harrow Monitoring Group’s call for more accessible planning documents and consultations”
Tag Archives: community
Much of £11bn Covid scheme fraud ‘beyond recovery’: what does that mean for Harrow?
The Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner’s revelation that nearly £11 billion of Covid-era public money has been lost to fraud and error nationally – with most of it now “beyond recovery” – should prompt serious reflection in every local authority that handled pandemic funds, including Harrow. While the borough received substantial support at the height ofContinue reading “Much of £11bn Covid scheme fraud ‘beyond recovery’: what does that mean for Harrow?”
Harrow must step up as PCCs are scrapped
The government’s decision to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) by 2028 has closed the book on a system that never quite worked. Brought in twelve years ago under David Cameron’s “Big Society” vision to make policing more accountable, PCCs were supposed to give the public a greater say in how their communities are policed.Continue reading “Harrow must step up as PCCs are scrapped”
Restoring real respect: local action revives Roxeth Hill war graves
As others turn Remembrance into a stage for nationalistic gestures, Harrow on the Hill Labour councillors have quietly worked with local residents and Christ Church Roxeth to restore a forgotten corner of Harrow’s history. Just in time for Remembrance Sunday, the Roxeth Hill war graves now stand clear and dignified once more – a lastingContinue reading “Restoring real respect: local action revives Roxeth Hill war graves”
Pamela Fitzpatrick slams Labour MP for promoting private health firm
Pamela Fitzpatrick, director of Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project and founder of Harrow’s new grassroots political party Arise, has sharply criticised local MP Gareth Thomas after his public visit to Cygnet Hospital in Harrow this week. Thomas, Labour MP for Harrow West, praised the hospital for “working closely with the NHS and community partnersContinue reading “Pamela Fitzpatrick slams Labour MP for promoting private health firm”
Harrow impact as Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 nears finalisation
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025, now at Report Stage in the House of Lords, raises continuing concerns about centralisation, weakened environmental safeguards, and reduced local accountability. These issues are particularly relevant to Harrow, where local planning capacity, green infrastructure, and community participation are central to shaping sustainable development.As the Bill is expected to completeContinue reading “Harrow impact as Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 nears finalisation”
Best Start Grants: ambitious plans, modest means
Best Start grants are delivering £150,000 of funding to Harrow as part of a £12 million national investment, marking what ministers call a transformative step in early education and childcare. The Best Start initiative promises to roll out 30 hours of government-funded childcare for working parents, saving families up to £7,500 per child per year.Continue reading “Best Start Grants: ambitious plans, modest means”
Riding in the Dark: Harrow’s stations feel safe only on paper
Recent national headlines have underscored a grim reality: reports of sexual assaults and harassment on trains have surged by more than a third over the past decade. A BBC investigation, reported on 14 October 2025, revealed 2,661 incidents last year across England, Scotland and Wales – and one in ten victims was a child, someContinue reading “Riding in the Dark: Harrow’s stations feel safe only on paper”
SEND in Harrow: local reflections of a national crisis
Provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) remains one of England’s most persistent education challenges. Despite multiple reforms, the system is still fragmented, under-resourced, and overly bureaucratic, with outcomes for pupils and families falling short of the Government’s ambitions for inclusion and equity.Our recent review, “Special Educational Needs: SupportContinue reading “SEND in Harrow: local reflections of a national crisis”
Local power, national decline: the Harrow Conservative paradox
Harrow’s political landscape presents a striking paradox: enduring Conservative strength at the local level amid national decline. According to YouGov, only 10% of the public believe Kemi Badenoch looks like a prime minister in waiting, and twenty Conservative councillors defected to Reform UK during the party’s own conference. Yet, confidence in the Harrow Conservatives – particularlyContinue reading “Local power, national decline: the Harrow Conservative paradox”
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