Your borough in December

Welcome to Havant Borough Council’s online newsletter which gives you the opportunity to find out more about what's going on and keep you up-to-date with our news.  

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Help for households

Millions across the UK are entitled to Government help with the cost of living.

Depending on where you live, there are different schemes that could help support your household finances:

• Households on certain benefits can get Cost of Living Payments, which are worth up to £900 in total.
• Many providers are offering cheaper reliable broadband and mobile phone packages for people claiming certain benefits. Some deals are as low as £10 per month, so a simple switch could save £202 a year, against the average yearly cost of broadband.
• Those on a low income, out of work or unable to work, could be eligible for Universal Credit to help with living costs.
• Support with mortgage payments.

Keeping warm and well this winter

Here is a list of useful advice, tips and guidance to help you through the winter:

► NHS seasonal advice and winter health

► GOV.UK Staying safe in cold weather

► Met Office's 'Weather Ready' campaign

► Warm places to go in the borough

Waterlooville Town Centre Masterplan

Havant Borough Council is developing a masterplan for Waterlooville Town Centre, using an external project team of planners, designers, and architects.

The approach is to put local people at the heart of the process, with many engagement events taking place.

In the new year we will be holding a “Festival of Ideas” event for residents, shoppers, businesses and visitors to take part in.

To find out more about the Waterlooville Town Centre Masterplan visit 

https://www.havant.gov.uk/waterlooville

Your Borough magazine

Look out for the Christmas edition of Your Borough magazine, coming through your letterbox from Monday 18 December.

This edition is full of news and information from Havant Borough Council, ranging from Food Hygiene ratings to how voting will be changing in May.  There is also a guide on where you can get help and support if you're struggling with the cost of living.

There is also a four page Christmas guide to help you recycle right as well as information on when your bin will be collected over the festive season.

We have also included the bin collection calendars for 2024, however since going to print we have discovered an error from April onwards.  

New paper calendars will be issued later in the year or you can download your  corrected version here. 

Collecting your bins this Christmas and New Year

We are continuing to collect rubbish and recycling over the Christmas period, but from the week commencing Monday 25 December collections will change, please check here to find out when your bin will be collected.  

There are important dates to remember in relation to other waste collection services too:

• There will be no collections on Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year's Day (1 January)
• Our crews will work on Saturdays during this period (30 December, 6 January and 13 January)
• Garden waste and bulky waste collections will be suspended between Monday 25 December and Friday 12 January 2024 
• There will be no changes to clinical waste 
• Normal collections will resume from Monday 15 January.

Walking and cycling made easier in Havant

If you’re travelling to Havant town centre, you can now choose a healthier, pollution-free way to get there as improvements to walking and cycling routes are now complete between the train station, Havant College and the popular Hayling Billy Trail.

This project has been delivered by Hampshire County Council, in partnership with Havant Borough Council and a grant of over £2 million that was secured through the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

Never bin your vapes!

Drop your vape in a vape recycling bin. If there isn't a separate bin for vapes you can recycle them with your other small electrical items.

Our services over Christmas and New Year

The Public Service Plaza will be closed from 5pm on Friday 22 December, and our social media channels will not be monitored. 

We will re-open 9am - 5pm between Wednesday 27 and Friday 29 December. 

The offices will be closed on Monday 1 January 2024, and re-open on Tuesday 2 January 2024 at 9am

Many of our services are available 24/7 on our website at www.havant.gov.uk

In the event of an emergency relating to a service Havant Borough Council provide, please call 023 9244 6019.

Household DIY waste charges set to end

From 1 January 2024, residents using Household Waste Recycling Centres will no longer be charged for disposing of their DIY waste – in line with the Government policy changes.

Thank you for reading

We hope you have found this bulletin useful. Share this with your family and friends to ensure they have the latest information. Anyone can subscribe using this link. 

Our mailing address is:

Havant Borough Council, The Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 2AX

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