Havering Council's Overview & Scrutiny Board has reviewed proposals for former library sites, expressing concerns about the clarity of Cabinet's decisions and the format of their responses. Councillors sought specific clarification on whether Cabinet had agreed to make separate recorded decisions for each former library site and to present business plans for each site before disposal.
During the meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Board agreed that further clarification would be sought from the relevant Cabinet member and Heads of Service. A recommendation was made for future Cabinet responses to be presented in an identical format to the Board's recommendations.
Clarity of Decisions and Future Format
The Overview & Scrutiny Board's concerns centred on the lack of transparency in Cabinet's decision-making process for the former library sites. Specifically, the Board questioned whether Cabinet had committed to recording individual decisions for each site and to presenting comprehensive business plans prior to any disposal. This approach, the Board implied, would lead to a more transparent and structured method for managing each site's future.
One councillor highlighted the financial implications of the ongoing situation, stating, The longer it goes on, and this is going on far too long, they're losing money now. There was no chance of saving money.
This suggests that the prolonged indecision is incurring financial losses for the council.
Status and Plans for Former Library Sites
Regarding the proposed plans for the former library sites, the meeting noted that the proposal for Gideon Park would proceed. For Harold Wood Library, a foundation has submitted a proposal, and negotiations are currently underway for a lease agreement under their management. South Holland Church remains the only site where Cabinet is yet to make a final decision and will report back on this matter.
Timeline for Clarification
Further clarification on these matters is to be sought from the relevant Cabinet member and Heads of Service. While a precise timeline was not established, it was suggested that this clarification could potentially be obtained outside of a formal Cabinet meeting process, particularly in light of the upcoming election.
Document References
More details on the discussions and reports can be found in the Public reports pack 17th Mar 2026 Overview Scrutiny Board and the Report - Cabinet response re libraries.
