Havering's new council administration will include an extra cabinet member, it has been confirmed, although who will occupy the top jobs is yet to be announced.

Havering Residents’ Association (HRA) and Labour’s leader have worked together and decided who will form the council’s main decision-making body for the next four years.

Labour leader Cllr Keith Darvill said seven cabinet positions will go to the HRA and two to his party.

Cllr Ray Morgan, leader of the council, confirmed this is one more cabinet position than the last Conservative rule held.

The local political leaders told this paper that the chosen councillors will be announced by Monday (June 13).

It comes after former leader Cllr Damian White increased cabinet positions from six to eight in January this year.

Cllr Darvill said there will be a meeting tonight (June 8) to finalise who will take on the jobs.

He said: “We are making sure members who are sitting in seats will accept the positions.

“The committee structure has also been revised so there will be fewer committees than there were under the previous administration.

“This will give rise to some savings in financial costs that the council will benefit from.”

Cllr Morgan added that “for the benefit of the borough”, the HRA have a “working arrangement with Labour”.