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Monday 12 October 2020
 We have heard today that England has reached a tipping point similar to the first wave of coronavirus.
The Prime Minister has said that the number of coronavirus cases has quadrupled over the last three weeks, and that there are more people in hospital with COVID-19 tonight than there were at the start of the pandemic and the national lockdown on 23 March. But we are still in a position to stop history repeating itself.
The best way to keep transmission of the awful coronavirus low and stop the NHS being overwhelmed is for people with symptoms to self-isolate and get a test, and for people to wash their hands, wear face coverings and maintain social distancing.
Our Havering Helps funding will provide support for people who cannot work from home or work as normal due to self-isolation. See the article later in this bulletin for more details and for a link to apply if you think you need financial help.
Fortunately, the NHS knows more about the disease now, and has better treatments than during the first wave but we all need to do our bit to stop the spread.
As I said in my blog on Friday, it’s better to be sick of hearing about COVID-19 than to be sick with it.
See our website on how you can do your bit to keep us all safe.
If you want to contact me directly, email me. However, please be patient as there may be a delay of a day or two in getting back to you due to the volume of messages I am receiving.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
 Primary school pupils in Havering are among the first to receive a unique new children’s book designed to inspire them to work in the construction industry.
Key Stage 2 pupils from La Salette Primary School (pictured), Towers Infant and Towers Junior Schools, and Crowlands Primary School received a free copy of What Do… Construction Workers Do? by Emma Juhasz.
The new book aims to increase diversity in the sector by supporting learning and providing a more accurate illustration of the wide-ranging jobs available in construction.
The development and printing costs for the book have been funded by Havering Council’s joint venture partner Wates Residential who are working together to deliver 3,500 high quality homes over the next 12 to 15 years in Havering.
Only request a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms of the virus.
This helps people who have symptoms to get a test when they need it. If you take a test when you have no symptoms you could be taking a test away from someone who really needs it.
Testing is available at weekends as well as weekdays. There are local COVID-19 test centres in Romford, South Hornchurch and Harold Hill.
When visiting a site, you must not visit other local amenities – after testing return home and remain in isolation until the result of the test is known. Wear a face covering, maintain social distance - especially when queueing for a test - and do not travel on public transport.
Please remember if you have chosen to get tested at one of our location sites rather than get a home testing kit, you must have booked an appointment on the NHS website or called 119.
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Havering Council is supporting the fight against coronavirus with a £500 Havering Helps package to support residents asked to self-isolate due to COVID-19.
You are required by law to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 or are contacted by NHS Test and Trace. If you fail to self-isolate when required to do so, or knowingly provide false information about close contacts to NHS Test and Trace, you may be fined.
If you must self-isolate, are unable to work from home, are losing income, and are claiming qualifying benefits or working tax credit, you are eligibile for the new one-off £500 ‘Test and Trace Support’ payment.
Registered local charity DABD are administering this process for Havering Council. If you think you are eligible for the £500 payment please apply via their website.
Local tracing
Havering Council is one of many across the country taking on the task of trying to trace and then contact people in the borough who have tested positive for COVID-19 but have not responded to contact from the national test and trace service to ensure they are self-isolating.
The Council will now take on the role of reaching these people via phone, email or text message. If they still do not respond, then Council staff will visit their last known address to speak to them directly.
Residents being contacted by Havering Council should see the telephone numbers 0203 928 1402 or 01708 434343 come up when contacted.
Nobody the Council contacts will be asked for any new personal data or information such as bank details.
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Parents in Havering are being urged to get their children vaccinated from flu this winter.
Without the flu vaccination children are more likely to contract the flu at nursery or school and then spread the virus at a rapid rate, posing a particular risk to other people at higher risk like babies and the elderly.
For children, the nasal spray flu vaccine is free on the NHS for children aged 2 or 3; all primary school children (reception to year 6); all year 7 in secondary school; and children aged 2 to 17 years with long-term health conditions. The flu jab is also available for free to pregnant women.
In Havering last year just over 30% of children aged 2 and 3 years old had their free flu vaccine and only half of those eligible for the flu jab at all ages chose to get vaccinated.
The child nasal vaccination is available from your GP, pregnant women can get a flu jab from their midwife and school age children will be offered it at school.
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The Havering Local Plan was subject to independent public examination following its submission to the Government in March 2018.
Examination hearings have taken place over the last two years under the direction of a Planning Inspector.
The Council and the Inspector are now undertaking further work aimed at the Council formally adopting the Local Plan in 2020.
In August Havering Council published modifications to its local Plan for consultation.
The consultation period for this document and the modifications that it relates to has been extended to 5 November 2020.
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This week (10-17 October) is National Hate Crime Awareness Week.
When you see hate crime, report it.
Hate crime is not isolated to verbal or physical abuse. It can also involve vandalism, criminal damage, graffiti or arson, cyberbullying, offensive communications, threats of attack or financial exploitation.
Do your bit for those around you.
If you witness or know anyone who is experiencing hate crime due, for example, to the fact they are exempt from wearing a face covering due to health conditions, or to any aspect of their personal identity contact Stop Hate UK.
They have a 24-hour help line in Havering and their experienced team are on hand all day, every day to provide support to people affected by any hate crime.
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Havering Council's Children’s Centres are celebrating Black History Month with a calendar of online events and activities for families to join.
They mark the achievements, history and contributions of black people and the role models that are inspiring the next generation.
They have also joined with the Book Start Trust who have put together a booklist of historical stories from around the world for Black History Month.
There is no charge to join any of the events and you can register for a place by email.
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Each week on our website we publish a list of new planning applications that have come in to Havering Council over the previous seven days.
You can view those applications, and those made over the previous seven weeks, at any time.
These recent planning applications include a proposal to re-develop the Seedbed Centre, along the Rom Valley Way in Romford, pictured.
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Potential foster carers are invited to meet Havering Council's friendly staff and carers to find out more about becoming a foster carer.
Drop in online for a cuppa at the next virtual coffee morning on Monday 19 October between 10am and 11am.
If you would prefer to speak to someone before that time you can email or call 01708 434574 and the fostering team will contact you directly.
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