Havering Residents Association (HRA) is a group of residents' associations and registered political party in London, England. It is active in the London Borough of Havering and as of 2023 forms a 21-councillor group on Havering London Borough Council. At the 2022 London borough council elections they were the largest party on Havering Council, largest elected residents group in London, and the fourth largest political party represented on all London borough councils. Not all residents groups in Havering are affiliated with the HRA, usually indicating this by standing as 'independent resident' candidates. In 2014 eight members of the Havering Residents Association group split off to form the East Havering Residents Group.
History
The political party has its origins in the Hornchurch Ratepayers' Association which contested elections to Hornchurch Urban District Council since it was created in 1926.[1] In 1911 and 1925 the association had opposed the creation of the urban district, fearing increased taxation.[2][3] The association controlled the council after the first election. In 1934 Hornchurch expanded to include Cranham and Upminster, which brought another predecessor within the district, the Upminster and Cranham Ratepayers' Association. It had been active since at least 1923 when the chairman of the association wrote a letter to The Times to complain about delays in construction of the Southend Arterial Road.[4] Following the Second World War the council was dominated by the major political parties, but from 1961 to 1965 it was in no-overall control with the ratepayers as the largest group.[5]
The residents association is represented on Havering London Borough Council[7] where they are the largest group and run the council. Between 2022 and 2024, they ran the council in coalition with the Labour group.
2010 election
Result of the 2010 election, Havering RA in dark green
At the 2010 London borough council elections the Havering Residents Association stood candidates in 15 of the 18 wards in Havering. 12 of the 45 candidates were elected as councillors.[8] The following were elected/stood in each ward of Havering:
Residents association
2010 election results
Collier Row and Mawneys Residents Association
Havering Park 0/3, Mawneys 0/3
Elm Park Residents Association
Elm Park 0/3
Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association
Gooshays 0/3, Harold Wood 1/3, Heaton 0/3
Havering Residents Association
Squirrel's Heath 0/3, Emerson Park 0/3
Hornchurch Residents Association
Hacton 3/3, Hylands 0/3, St Andrew's 2/3
Romford Residents Association
Pettits 0/3, Romford Town 0/3
Upminster and Cranham Residents Association
Cranham 3/3, Upminster 3/3
They did not have candidates in Rainham and Wennington, or South Hornchurch where other residents groups had candidates. Councillors elected from those wards form a separate 'independent resident' group on Havering Council. No residents candidates stood in Brooklands.
2014 election
Result of the 2014 election, Havering RA in dark green
At the 2014 London borough council elections the Havering Residents Association stood candidates in 12 of the 18 wards, with 34 candidates of which 19 were elected.[9] The following were elected/stood in each ward of Havering:
Residents association
2014 election results
Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association
Gooshays 0/2, Harold Wood 3/3
Havering Residents Association
Squirrel's Heath 0/3, Emerson Park 0/3
Hornchurch Residents Association
Elm Park 3/3, Hacton 3/3, Hylands 1/3, St Andrew's 3/3
Residents' Group
Brooklands 0/1
Pettits Residents Association
Pettits 0/3
Upminster and Cranham Residents Association
Cranham 3/3, Upminster 3/3
They did not have candidates in Brooklands, Havering Park, Heaton or Mawneys. In Rainham and Wennington 'independent resident' candidates stood and were elected.
2014 split
In 2014 eight members of the Havering Residents Association group, including the leader Clarence Barrett, split off to form East Havering Residents Group.
2018 election
Result of the 2018 election, Havering RA in dark green
At the 2018 London borough council elections the Havering Residents Association stood candidates in 12 of the 18 wards, with 35 candidates of which 17 were elected. The following were elected/stood in each ward of Havering:
Residents association
2018 election results
Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association
Gooshays 0/3, Harold Wood 3/3
Havering Residents Association
Squirrel's Heath 0/3, Emerson Park 0/3, Mawneys 0/2
Hornchurch Residents Association
Elm Park 3/3, Hacton 3/3, Hylands 0/3, St Andrew's 2/3
Pettits Residents Association
Pettits 0/3
Upminster and Cranham Residents Association
Cranham 3/3, Upminster 3/3
They did not have candidates in Brooklands, Havering Park or Heaton wards. In Rainham and Wennington 'independent resident' candidates stood and were elected.
2022 election
Result of the 2022 election, Havering RA in dark green
The wards in Havering were redrawn for the 2022 London borough council elections. The Havering Residents Association stood candidates in 17 of the 20 wards, with 44 candidates of which 18 were elected. The following were elected/stood in each ward of Havering:
Residents association
2022 election results
Havering Residents Association
Emerson Park 2/2, Gooshays 0/2, Harold Wood 0/3, Havering-atte-Bower 0/1, Heaton 0/2, Marshalls & Rise Park 0/3, Mawneys 0/3, Rush Green & Crowlands 0/3, Squirrels Heath 0/3, St Alban's 0/2, St Edward's 0/3
Hornchurch Residents Association
Elm Park 3/3, Hacton 2/2, Hylands & Harrow Lodge 2/2, St Andrew's 3/3
Upminster and Cranham Residents Association
Cranham 3/3, Upminster 3/3
They did not have candidates in Beam Park, Rainham & Wennington or South Hornchurch wards.
Since the election, there have been defections bringing the number of HRA councillors to 26.
^"New Trunk Road to Southend". The Times. 11 October 1923. Mr. Edward C. Stanford, the chairman of the Upminster and Cranham Ratepayers' Association, in a letter, states:- It is now a matter of years since work was started on this much-needed main artery
