London's Brexit capital to vote to take back control from Sadiq Khan's 'mini EU' City Hall
RESIDENTS in the London borough of Havering have voiced their support for a council motion that would take back control of local decision-making and break away from Sadiq Khan's City Hall.
UKIP Councillor wants Havering Council to leave Mayor's control
Residents in Havering, dubbed the Brexit capital of London, are fed up with Sadiq Khan's bureaucratic rule as mayor and have urged their council to vote for independence.
Havering, which is about 12 miles from the centre of London, on the edge of Essex, voted strongly to leave the EU and now looks set to face another crucial vote.
There are growing complaints among locals that City Hall in London is acting remarkably like Brussels in the EU, and residents are fighting back.
And Havering Council, which covers areas including Romford, Upminster and Rainham, will vote on Wednesday on a motion to make the London borough a unitary authority.
Sadiq Khan urges voters to take control of their future
Since 2000, the Mayor of London has been responsible for the capital's ever-expanding planning, fire services, police, environment and transport.
Sadiq Khan's budget to cover these services amounts to more than £16bn this year, mostly raised through council tax.
Lawrence Webb, a local Ukip councillor in Havering, put forward the motion known locally as Hexit.
He told the BBC's Sunday Politics: "We want to take back control of planning. We want Havering out of London’s planning process.
"The Greater London Assembly operates like a mini-EU.
"We raise tax through the GLA precept which is given to the Mayor, and then we have to beg for that money back, and we don’t even get 100% of the money that we give."
The Greater London Assembly operates like a mini-EU
Andrew Rosindell, a Conservative MP for Romford, echoed this sentiment.
He declared the vote was really about taking power back from faceless bureaucrats in the British capital.
Jon Cruddas, Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, was shocked at the motion, which he said would be bad for locals.
But, he added: "I would not underestimate it, it taps into the frustration about people who are taking decisions over local communities.
"A year before it was those people in Brussels, now it is the City of London, who will be next?"
During the segment on BBC, residents generally voiced their agreement for the Ukip motion.
One person interviewed said: "I think Havering should control itself."
Another added: "No - I don’t think Sadiq Khan should be having control of us."