Harrow Council has been run by the Conservatives since 2022, with the party currently holding 31 of the borough’s 55 seats.
With a turnout of 37.9 per cent, Harrow was the only local authority in London that the Conservatives gained in the last local elections.
Labour, Conservatives, the Greens, Liberal Democrats, and Reform are all standing 55 candidates across the 22 wards in May 2026. New political party Arise, which was formed after the 2024 general election and recently endorsed by former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, will also be standing 11 candidates across five wards.
Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics has called Harrow “one of the Conservatives’ safest boroughs in London” and expects the party to maintain control of the council after the May 7 elections.
Here are the major manifesto promises for the principal parties running candidates in Brent, in the event they take or keep control of the council.
Conservatives
Below are six key policies or pledges that the Conservatives are promising in Harrow.
- Protect one-hour free parking
- Resist inappropriate HMOs and overdevelopment
- Defend the Green Belt
- Cleaner streets and prosecute fly-tipping
- Invest more in road resurfacing and repairs
- Safeguard the Freedom Pass and Winter Fuel payments
The Leader of Harrow Conservatives and current Leader of the Council, Cllr Paul Osborn, said: “When we gained control of Harrow Council in May 2022, we inherited a council which was 18 months away from bankruptcy. Services were dysfunctional, the council was uncontactable, and the council’s reputation was tarnished by the £2 million highways fraud which happened under Labour’s watch.
“We have worked hard over the last four years to fix Labour’s mess. We have made significant progress in improving services and making Harrow an even better place to live, but we know that there is still much more to be done.”
Labour
Below are six key policies or pledges that Labour is promising in Harrow.
- Freeze council tax in 2027 to help bring down the cost-of-living
- One-hour free parking to support local businesses and shoppers
- Double residential street cleaning in Harrow to every two weeks
- Create an Anti-Social Behaviour Squad to keep communities safe
- Greater action on fly-tipping and introducing a private alleyway clearance scheme
- Crack down on illegal HMOs and rogue landlords to improve housing renting standards across the borough
The Leader of Harrow Labour, Cllr David Perry, said: “Harrow Labour is proud to present a tranche of key pledges that will ease the cost-of-living for thousands of residents across Harrow, tackle anti-social behaviour and prioritising cleaning up our streets. We are hopeful that with our positive agenda, we can build a future to be proud of together. Let’s bring change to Harrow this May.”
Green Party
Below are six key policies or pledges that the Greens are promising in Harrow.
- Improving access to GP services and supporting local schools
- Fixing poor housing, cracking down on bad landlords, raising standards for tenants and pushing for more affordable and accessible homes
- Protecting nature and biodiversity
- Making the council more open, accountable and responsive
- Cleaning up the borough’s streets and tackling issues such as fly-tipping
- Protecting green spaces and making them safer
A statement on the Harrow Green Party website states “for too long now, our residents have been ignored”, adding: “For the very first time, the Green Party is standing candidates in every single ward in the borough so that we can change that. Green Party councillors work hard, and we will always work hard for you.
“We’re local people from across the borough, and we care about the communities we live in. The council should be focused on improving lives for everyone. We will focus on improving housing and supporting wellbeing, helping to build communities where people feel secure, supported and able to thrive.
“At a time when some seek to divide communities, we believe Harrow’s diversity is its strength. The Green Party stands for hope, not hate. We want to bring people together to create a better future.
“This election, we can change Harrow. We can make Harrow fairer, greener and accountable to its residents. We will always listen. We will always work hard, and we will champion our borough’s diversity.”
Liberal Democrats
Below are six key policies or pledges that the Liberal Democrats are promising in Harrow.
- Improve waste management standards across the borough to reduce littering
- Build genuinely affordable homes that are built sustainably and are in keeping with Harrow’s natural beauty
- Make Harrow attractive for businesses
- Get an ‘Outstanding’ OFSTED rating for council-provided children’s services
- Improve routes for residents to speak with the council about their concerns and get resolutions
- Make improvements to roads with an emphasis on active travel and safety
The Chair of the Harrow Liberal Democrats, Joseph Gaunt, said: “We work to create a united borough which provides for residents who work together to make Harrow the best place to live. The Lib Dems stand on a platform of positive change. We want to see improved living standards, outstanding children’s services, and build a prosperous community.
“We want Harrow to be a model borough for the whole of the UK. A place that holds itself to high standards and whose culture is one of community-giving, excellent public services, and opportunities for all particularly for our young residents. Much is said about Britain’s decline nationally, it is up to us to make our small part of this great country the best it can be.
“Our manifesto for these local elections sets out the way we believe Harrow must evolve to be a borough that works for residents. A borough where residents see value for money from their council tax and is united in a mission to deliver excellent services and build strong community bonds within our borough.”
Reform UK
Below are six key policies or pledges that Reform is promising in Harrow.
- Tackle crime, drug dealing, antisocial behaviour and street drinking
- Protect one-hour free parking
- Stop overdevelopment and unlicensed HMOs
- Focus on repairing potholes to fix roads
- Make town centre improvements
- Take public health seriously – including spitting and acting early on TB cases
The Harrow Reform manifesto states: “Reform UK will put Harrow residents first – take back Harrow for safer streets, stronger business, cleaner neighbourhoods.”
Arise Party
Below are six key policies or pledges that Arise is promising in Harrow.
- Stop the conversion of family homes into overcrowded HMOs, strengthen enforcement against rogue landlords, and build genuine council housing to provide truly affordable homes
- Investigate the high rate of school exclusions and ensure every child has a suitable school place
- Bring care homes back under council control to end profiteering and introduce free adult social care at home with meals on wheels
- Create a not-for-profit community supermarket
- Ensure the council divests from companies involved in human rights violations in Palestine, Congo, South Sudan, and elsewhere
- Repurpose empty buildings into community spaces for young people and local groups
Leader of Arise, Pamela Fitzpatrick, said: “Arise is a new political party for Harrow, formed after the 2024 general election in recognition that all the establishment parties have failed our community. It is comprised of local people who have a track record of being active in our community.”
Campaign material states: “Our candidates are active in the communities they seek to serve, with track records on community action and campaigns including on anti-racism, housing, health, wealth inequality, and Palestinian rights.”
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
