Labour leader angry over last-minute cancellation of meeting
General / Tue 24th Mar 2026 at 05:27pm
THE leader of Harlow Labour has expressed his anger at a vital council cabinet meeting being cancelled at the last minute.
Councillor James Griggs said: “Tonight’s cabinet has been cancelled as reports are not ready.
The Labour group has frequently raised the issue of the late delivery of reports which are supposed to be published a week before the meeting but the Conservatives have excelled themselves this time and failed to produce a single report on time and have had to cancel the cabinet.
“The Leader of the Council needs to explain why staff are unable to deliver on time, are they sufficiently resourced? It would appear not.
It is the job of the official opposition to scrutinise reports, a task which is difficult when papers are late and impossible when they fail to appear at all.
“This chaos and failure at the heart of the council is a disservice to residents who quite rightly expect better”
Councillor Jake Shepherd has also expressed his dismay.
He said: “I had two questions tabled. Questions on behalf of the people of Harlow.
“This is tremendously frustrating”.
Con
2026-03-24 17:38:09
You have to feel for Cllr Griggs what a job he has for upgainst the best leader of Harlow council we have ever seen a man that is doing more for Harlow than anyone.
AB
2026-03-24 17:54:39
Proper scrutiny of the council by the opposition at all times is vital. This hobbling of the process by any party 'in power' must cause alarm gells to ring.
Con
2026-03-24 18:48:50
Not surprised the Conservative Harlow Council Leader can’t get staff to produce reports on time; he’s got them all making social media posts for him in the run-up to council elections, it’s embarrassing.
Ed Bramall
2026-03-24 18:51:09
A desperate attempt at the last second from the opposition to try and bring down the leader - who is doing an exceptional job ! I think Labour are running scared of being taken down at the local elections !
Paul
2026-03-24 18:51:48
Honestly, is this the best Cllr Griggs and his Labour goons can come up with? Scrutiny??? At the recent Budget they said basically nothing...the most important meeting of the year for a £350 m budget and they just nodded it through as they are clueless in all matters financial and to lazy to read the reports. Then last week YH reported a Scrutiny Committee meeting where two far left Labour councillors (one I understand was a former leader of the Council... Christ! glad we got got rid of him. He is abysmal) wasted 45 minutes on a marginal issue of flags. This is not even a Harlow Council matter and the Police made very clear that it is no crime to hang national flags and that any enforcement was a matter for Essex County Council. But the two councillors in question continued making spurious speeches boring the pants off the police and other Committee members. Harlow Labour is a waste of space. Meanwhile, Dan Swords and his team are getting on with the real business that interests residents: town centre regeneration, new market and entertainment, new bandstand, Harlow show and concerts, new businesses like David Lloyd and M&S, first new council houses in decades and more James Griggs must be desperate. He should certainly be embarrassed by their woeful performance. Thank God they are not running the Council. We just all to make sure Dan Swords stays in place after the May elections.
Jon
2026-03-24 19:10:00
There is apparently a Full Council tomorrow so why can't the Labour opposition ask their questions there. This is a storm in a teacup by a Harlow Labour Party that is devoid of ideas or plans. Dan Swords wipes the floor with them all the time. Keep going Dan, Harlow is with you!
Gertrud
2026-03-24 19:50:53
Harlow Labour clutching at straws. They are comedians ( third rate).
David Forman
2026-03-24 21:23:35
Harlow's Conservative administration being scrutinized by Labour is somewhat similar to the late Dennis Healey's remark about debating with the late Sir Geoffrey Howe as "like being savaged by a dead sheep". See https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/15/geoffrey-howe-dead-sheep-turned-roaring-lion
Yvonne
2026-03-24 22:16:45
I just love this simulated indignation by Cllr Griggs and the Labour wokes. It is about as convincing as Chris Vince MP saying that Labour is "smashing the gangs!" He says, "vital Cabinet meeting". I bet neither he nor his cronies even knew what was on the agenda as they normally don't!! Scrutiny? I wouldn't trust them to scrutinise an egg frying. What have they said about all the great developments taking place on our town? What would they propose that is better? Answer: nothing! They are a spent flush. My vote in May is for Dan Swords and his team. They are doing the job.
Pete
2026-03-24 23:18:26
Cllr Shepherd, perhaps you could explain how you had 2 questions tabled before you had seen the reports.
Nicholas Taylor
2026-03-25 09:52:44
I think it is worth pointing out that anyone wishing to ask a question at a council meeting has to give a number of days notice of doing so, for instance, if a meeting is held on a Thursday evening, the question has to be submitted before noon on the Friday the previous week. Labour are quite right to complain about meetings being cancelled and reports not being made avaiable until after the question time submission deadline. The full agenda needs to be published in a time which gives members of the public the chance to submit a question. The Harlow Residents Alliance has asked dozens of questions in the last 7 years, there have been occasions when additional agenda reports have been presented, even on the night of a meeting being held, this is not good for democracy or of course being able to scrutinise the Council. We know that many council decisions are being made behind closed doors, asking questions of Councillors will often bring issues out into the open.
Maureen
2026-03-25 12:38:15
Nicholas Taylor can you be more specific and actually name the decisions being made "behind closed doors". The entire plan of the administration of Dan Swords's announced and voted upon at Full Council, published on the council website, social media, Harlow Times, etc. Just sour grapes from your non-existent party. Let them finish the job. This the best administration ever.
Brian Aston
2026-03-25 14:49:27
You wait weeks to hear from Councillor Griggs on YourHarlow and the 2 articles in as many days. I was beginning to think he had left town. Could there be a local election in the offing?
Jon
2026-03-25 17:17:27
Cllr Griggs, instead of whinging, why don't you tell us the public what are Labour's plans for Harlow and what would you do better than Dan Sword's Conservative team. Don't worry, I am not waiting with bated breath!
Roz
2026-03-25 21:00:39
Dan Swords hits the target. James Griggs and Labour only fire blanks!
Nicholas Taylor
2026-03-25 23:49:18
Maureen, you simply have to look at council agendas to find out when members of the public have been asked to leave a meeting. This has happened on a number of occasions in the last two years. The comments I made about late agendas is also a fact, ones that we have witnessed whilst attending meetings. Comments on Yourharlow are full of politicians and their supporters trying to re-write history.
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