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 2026 forms a 25-councillor group that is the minority administration of Havering London Borough Council. At the 2022 elections they were the largest elected residents group in London, and the sixth largest political party represented on all London borough councils. Not all associations in Havering are affiliated with the HRA, usually indicating this by standing as "Independent Residents Association" candidates, as happened after the Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association disaffiliated from the HRA in 2019. The HRA has its origins in ratepayers' associations that became active in the early 20th century, including the Hornchurch Ratepayers' Association that was founded on 16 March 1900 and Upminster and Cranham Ratepayers' Association that was founded on 4 January 1906.
The political party has its origins in the Hornchurch Ratepayers' Association, which was founded at a meeting at the Hornchurch board school on 16 March 1900.[3] The founding of the ratepayers' association was motivated by the increase in rates charged by various bodies over the preceding four years.[3] Officers were elected on 29 March 1900, rules were adopted and general meetings were planned for four times a year.[4] The first of these was held on 13 June 1900.[1] The association planned to select candidates for the Hornchurch Parish Council, Romford Rural District Council and Hornchurch School Board elections.[a][1] It was organised based on the four wards of Hornchurch parish and meetings were held in each of them.[b][5] In September 1901 the association had a membership of 30.[6] By 1904 they had one member on Romford Rural District Council and several members on Hornchurch Parish Council.[7] At a meeting on 23 March 1904 the president summarised what the association had achieved since being created, this included capping the increase of salary of the parish clerk and reducing the budget for the Hornchurch fire station.[7]
As the population was rising and Hornchurch was being built upon, in 1902, the parish council took steps to convert the parish to an urban district and this was opposed by the Hornchurch association.[8] Fearing it would increase the rates, the association opposed gaining urban powers again in 1911 and 1925.[9][10] Following the creation of the Hornchurch Urban District Council in 1926 the association contested elections to it, and controlled the council after the first election.[11] In 1934 Hornchurch expanded to include Cranham and Upminster, which brought another HRA predecessor within the district, the Upminster and Cranham Ratepayers' Association. A first meeting had been held on 15 July 1905, but it was not formally created until 28 founding members joined at another meeting on 4 January 1906.[12] It was intended that it would work in cooperation with other associations in the district and would produce a regular publication "containing reports of the doings of local authorities".[13] 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.[14]
Havering London Borough Council
The residents association is represented on Havering London Borough Council.[15]As of January 2026[update], they are the largest group on the council and run it as a minority administration. Between 2022 and 2024, they ran the council in coalition with the Labour Party.[16]
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.[21] The following were elected/stood in each ward of Havering:
They did not have candidates in Rainham and Wennington, or South Hornchurch where other residents groups had candidates. Councillors elected from those wards formed a separate Independent Residents 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 11 of the 18 wards, with 31 candidates of which 19 were elected.[22] The following were elected/stood in each ward of Havering:
They did not have candidates in Brooklands, Havering Park, Heaton or Mawneys. In Rainham and Wennington "Independent Residents Association" candidates stood and were elected.
In 2014 eight members of the Havering Residents Association group, including the leader Clarence Barrett, split off to form East Havering Residents Association Group.[c] This group then formed a leadership coalition with the Conservatives.[23]
2018 election
Result of the 2018 election, Havering RA in dark green
At the 2018 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:[24]
They did not have candidates in Brooklands, Havering Park or Heaton wards. In Rainham and Wennington "Independent Residents Association" candidates stood and were elected.[24]
In 2019, Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association ceased to be associated with the HRA and the party registration was updated to include 'independent' as part of registered emblems and descriptions.[20][25]
2022 election
Result of the 2022 election, Havering RA in dark green
The wards in Havering were redrawn for the 2022 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:[26]
In Marshalls and Rise Park ward, two councillors (Philippa Crowder and Robby Misir) changed parties from Conservative to HRA in 2024[28][29]
In Rainham and Wennington ward, three councillors (Jacqueline McArdle, Susan Ospreay and Sarah Edwards) changed parties from Conservative to HRA in 2022, following the Wennington wildfire. Jacqueline McArdle changed back to Conservative in 2024[30]
In South Hornchurch ward, two councillors (Graham Williamson and Natasha Summers) elected as "Independent Residents Association" joined the HRA group on the council
The HRA formed a coalition with Labour after the 2022 election. It came to an end in June 2024 and they then formed a minority administration.[16]
↑The East Havering Residents Association Group consisted of Ron Ower, Linda Hawthorn and Linda Van den Hende (all from Upminster ward), Alex Donald, Brian Eagling and Darren Wise (Harold Wood ward) and Clarence Barrett and Gillian Ford (Cranham ward).
↑John Tyler and Philip Ruck formed the Residents' Association Independent Group on the council.
References
123"Hornchurch: Ratepayers Association". Barking, East Ham & Ilford Advertiser. 16 June 1900. p.3.
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