Havering Council’s new cabinet members are settling into their new roles after the local election in May. Here, we break down a little of what we know about each of their backgrounds and careers.
Cllr Ray Morgon – Leader
Council leader Cllr Morgan, 60, was formerly a cabinet member for the borough’s Conservatives, having joined the Young Conservatives as a teenager.
Cllr Morgon said he “never set out to become a councillor”, but after attending a meeting about ward boundary changes, decided he wanted to “get involved”.
After four years as a Conservative councillor, Cllr Morgon left the party because his favoured pick for group leader, Roger Ramsey, lost to former council leader Michael White.
He was subsequently elected a residents’ group councillor, and when the various residents’ groups formed into a more unified umbrella group, its members chose Cllr Morgon as its leader.
When asked what residents’ associations stand for, he said they tend to be “more community-minded", and that they "get involved locally and keep in touch with people who know we’re there – that’s why they like us.”
Cllr Gillian Ford – Deputy leader and cabinet member for adults and health
Cllr Ford, 60, works as a peer mentor, acting as a confidential “sounding board” for councillors in other boroughs.
Since 2002 she has sat on several committees and been active in the Local Government Association, where she was national lead representing the interests of independent councillors and councils across the UK.
She represents Cranham ward and is chair of the Havering Residents' Association.
Cllr Chris Wilkins – Cabinet member for finance and transformation
Cllr Wilkins, 67, is an East Ender with 20 years' experience in housing, reaching director level at council-run Barnet Homes.
He represents Upminster and was first elected as a residents' association councillor in 2018.
The finance lead describes his politics as “pragmatic” and focused on “doing the best for our residents”.
He said: “I’ll be expecting the other cabinet members to take whatever steps needed to manage their budgets appropriately."
Cllr Graham Williamson – Cabinet member for development and regeneration
Cllr Williamson, 65, previously worked as a general manager for a logistics company.
He has been a residents' association councillor for South Hornchurch since 2014 and has been vocal on planning issues and sat on the strategic planning committee.
He was a founding member of the National Liberal Party (NLP).
His register of interests shows he is still a party member and is a member of trade union Solidarity, which was previously led by British National Party (BNP) chairman Adam Walker.
When approached for comment, Cllr Williamson said he is “technically a member but rather inactive now”.
Since publication, Cllr Williamson said Solidarity now “utterly rejects” far-right politics.
Cllr Oscar Ford – Cabinet member for children’s services
Cllr Ford is an experienced local authority officer, a retired service manager for strategy, performance and resources at Tower Hamlets Council.
He was first elected to represent Upminster ward in May this year and is married to Cllr Gillian Ford.
Cllr Barry Mugglestone – Cabinet member for environment
Cllr Mugglestone is a retired Ford Motor Company supervisor. He has represented Elm Park ward since 2014 and is a trade union representative.
His cabinet brief covers some of the most common issues raised with councillors: roads, pavements, street cleaning and grounds maintenance.
Cllr Keith Darvill – Cabinet member for climate change
Cllr Darvill, 74, is a solicitor, trade unionist and former MP for Upminster from 1997 to 2001.
The borough’s Labour leader grew up in Leyton and left school aged 15 to work for the Port of London Authority (PLA), where he joined a union and worked his way up to a white-collar role.
He qualified as a solicitor while working at the PLA and moved into the law full-time as the docks declined.
The opposition leader before the election, Cllr Darvill has been a Havering councillor since 2002 and represents Heaton ward.
Cllr Paul McGeary – Cabinet member for housing
Cllr McGeary, 65, works as head of estates for North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), which provides community and mental health services at 210 bases across north east London and Essex.
He has experience of the borough’s housing needs through his casework as Labour councillor for Gooshays since 2010.
He’s also a school governor and director of the Havering Theatre Trust.
Cllr Paul Middleton – Cabinet member for corporate, culture and leisure services
Cllr Middleton is understood to have worked at a large London bank as an IT manager and to have his own IT business, although his register of interests does not declare any employment and he did not respond to a request for comment.
He has been a residents’ association councillor for St Andrews ward since 2018.
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