Friday 31 December 2021
 As 2021 comes to an end I am sure many of you will be disappointed that once again we are in a festive period where the news is dominated by COVID-19.
This time last year we had only just begun the vaccination rollout so the winter wave of the awful coronavirus pandemic resulted in huge numbers of hospitalisations and, sadly, deaths.
Today many of us are sick with COVID-19 and the rest of us are certainly sick of it.
Between 23 and 29 December, 5,344 people in Havering had a confirmed positive COVID-19 test result. This is 44 per cent more than the previous seven days and the highest weekly infections number we have ever recorded. Read the latest data for Havering and London and see the chart below.
Although much of the news is grim, we are in a much better place this New Year's Eve than the last one. Over 80 per cent of all Havering adults have had a least one vaccination. The vast majority have had two jabs and nearly half of all adults in Havering have already received their booster dose. If you haven't had yours yet, please book an appointment as soon as possible and encourage your family and friends to do the same.
We must also continue to take all the basic precautions to limit the spread and effect of COVID-19.
Be careful if you are celebrating New Year with friends and relations. If you have lateral flow tests at home use them before meeting others. Open windows to let COVID particles out, and wash your hands regularly. Use your mask.
Lastly, let's remember for a moment some of the good things that happened this year.
Amazing progress has been made in our housing regeneration projects at a number of sites in the borough. This includes the Waterloo estate in Romford where tower blocks no longer fit for purpose have been demolished to allow the building of 1,380 new homes for local people to begin.
The brand-new multi-million pound Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre was opened in the spring, and in October we announced that construction on a new leisure centre in Rainham will begin early in the New Year. The building will be a state-of-the-art modular design offering a range of facilities including a dance and spinning studio, 72-station fitness suite and six-lane swimming pool.
Work on a new £6.3 million extension to Marshalls Park Academy in Romford was completed in June as part of a £23 million investment to improve local schools by Havering Council.
Hornchurch FC won the FA Trophy in a nail-biting final at Wembley stadium, and the hugely popular Christmas light switch-on event in Romford could take place after the event was cancelled in 2020.
Thank you for everything you have done to help keep yourself, friends and family safe and the local economy moving forward in 2021. And let's hope for better days in 2022.
I hope you have a wonderful long weekend and stay safe.
If you want to contact me directly, you can email me.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
Havering Council has published information to help residents stay safe, healthy and happy this winter.
You can read about staying warm and protected from COVID-19 on the Council's website.
|
Havering Council has extended the Havering Hero parking permit scheme until 31 May 2022.
If you are a key worker who currently has a Havering Hero parking permit which expires today (31 December), you should renew it now.
Renewals and new applications should be made online using the MiPermit scheme as parking permits are now virtual which means you do not get a paper permit to display on your vehicle.
The Havering Hero permit enables critical key workers to park for free for up to three hours in resident parking bays or Council car parks, when carrying out their duties.
These workers include those working for the emergency services, domestic carers, social care key workers and volunteers working for Havering Council's community hub or for voluntary sector partners.
|
 Over the last week more than five thousand people in Havering were infected with COVID-19.
Find out if you, or members of your family, are infected by ordering a lateral flow test (LFT) kit online, or pick one up from many places in Havering.
Take a rapid LFT before you attend any social events where you are likely to be mixing with people indoors, and also before going to see anyone who may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection.
Have symptoms?
It remains vitally important to book a PCR test if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Getting fully vaccinated is the best way of protecting you and others against COVID-19.
People aged 18 years and over, and those aged 16 years and over who are at risk (including health and social care workers) will be offered a booster dose of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.
If you're aged 16 or over you can:
If you cannot book appointments online, you can call 119 free of charge. You can speak to a translator if you need to.
|
You can check and show your COVID-19 vaccination status, including your booster jab, by using an app.
You can view and download your COVID-19 vaccination status using the NHS App.
You need to create an NHS login to use the NHS App, if you do not have one already.
This app is NOT the NHS COVID-19 app.
The NHS App is available on iOS and Android. To use it you must be aged 13 and over and registered with a GP surgery in England.
|
Advertorial
Are you a parent of a child aged three or four?
If so, your child is due to start at an infant or primary school in September 2022 and you should apply now for your child’s place.
If you live in Havering, you can apply online.
If you live outside of the borough you should apply to the local authority you pay your Council Tax to.
If your child attends a school nursery then please remember that you must still apply online for a place in the Reception year.
|
Over the New Year holiday period recycling, refuse, clinical and bulky waste collections will be made on the usual collection days.
The only collection service that will see a change is garden waste collections. They are suspended until Monday 10 January.
Gerpins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre in Upminster (pictured) is open every day including New Years Day.
|
If you want to recycle your real Christmas tree you can take it to our Gerpins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre any day, or to Gidea Park Sports Ground, Main Road, Romford on Saturday 8 January between 10am and 2pm.
Please make sure you have removed all the decorations from the tree.
If you’re a garden waste service customer - cut your tree in half and place it in your green bin with the lid closed on your collection days. Garden waste collections begin again on 10 Jan.
Saint Francis Hospice is also running a Christmas tree recycling service across the borough collecting trees on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 January.
|
The Big London Energy Switch is a way of saving money on your gas and electricity.
Residents group together and then the energy companies bid against each other in an auction to get their custom.
By grouping together residents can get lower tariffs as the energy companies want to get lots of customers in one go and so offer lower tariffs than if an individual customer had contacted them.
To benefit, you need to register.
|
Advertorial
Are you missing out on free childcare for your 2 year old?
You may be entitled to claim a maximum of 11 hours free childcare per week throughout the year, or a maximum of 15 hours per week during term time.
You may qualify if:
- you have a child aged two years (funding will be available from the term after their second birthday)
- your family is living on a low income or claiming income based benefits
For more information and to apply please visit www.havering.gov.uk/earlyyears
|
Romford Market is open today (Friday 31 December), but then traders will be taking a well-earned rest as the Market is then closed until Wednesday 5 January.
From 5 January the Market will again be open every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
|
Tomorrow (1 January) full customs controls will be introduced for anyone importing goods from the European Union.
HM Revenue and Customs are reminding traders to prepare for changes to customs declarations and border controls.
There will also be changes to rules of origin requirements (for imports and exports), postponed VAT accounting and commodity codes.
|
Live Healthier Havering is a new 12-week programme run by Everyone Active, on behalf of Havering Council.
It is aimed at helping people to lose weight, increase their energy levels and feel better, whilst reducing their risk of diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and strokes.
Residents who are overweight, according to the NHS definition, can join the programme or speak to their GP or practice nurse.
|
 Havering Museum's photographic group meet on the first Thursday of every month from 1.30pm - 3.30pm. It's just £5 to attend and the next meeting is on Thursday 6 January. Send them an email if you want further information.
The Arts Society Havering holds monthly lectures. The next one is on Tuesday 11 January when Adam Busiakiewicz will be giving a talk titled The Queen of instruments - the lute within Old Master paintings. Find out more online about joining this society.
Thursday 3 February at 2.30pm sees the return of a long-awaited blast from the past packed with singalong tunes, jokes and fun as the Marvellous Music Hall performs at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch.
This tribute to good old-fashioned East End variety entertainment features regular and new stars, forming part of the Queen’s Theatre’s Magical Matinee Series.
Tickets can be booked online. Group discounts available. To book, call the Box Office on 01708 443333. Dressing up is encouraged!
No Congestion Charge will be applied until Tuesday 4 January.
From 21 February the operating hours for the Congestion Charge will be 7am to 6pm on weekdays, and midday to 6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays.
|
South Street, Romford will be closed between its junctions with Clydesdale Road and Rom Valley Way from 8am on Tuesday 4 January for scaffolding work on Vickers House.
This work is expected to be complete by 4 February. A diversion will be signposted.
Overnight work to modernise the traffic lights at the junction of Pettits Lane, Pettits Lane North and the A12 (Eastern Avenue East) will begin on Wednesday 5 January. The work, from 9pm until 5am, is likely to continue until 12 February.
Road works outside 199 to 241 Rainham Road, Rainham on 5 and 6 January will mean that temporary traffic signals will be used to control traffic.
Water supply connection work in London Road, Romford will mean that temporary traffic signals will be in use from 5 to 11 January.
Work outside the Methodist Church Hall in Hall Lane, Upminster, to replace a telecoms pole will mean 4-way temporary traffic lights will be in use on 6 January.
BT Openreach will be working in Suttons Lane, Hornchurch on 6 January to carry out cabling and duct work. Temporary traffic signals will be used during the day. They will also be working in Front Lane, Upminster on 7 January. Temporary traffic signals will be in place during the cabling work.
The Lanes Group will be cleaning a blocked sewer near 145 Main Road, Gidea Park on Thursday 6 January. The same company will be cleaning sewers in Gubbins Lane at the junction with The Drive on Friday 14 January. During both sets of work temporary traffic signals will be in use.
Essex and Suffolk Water will be working in the Broadway in Rainham from 7 to 11 January. During this work on a water main, temporary traffic lights will be used. The same company will also be working in Collier Row Lane on Tuesday 25 January, and renewing a water main in Highfield Road, in Chase Cross, between its junctions with Avelon Road and Highfield Link, from 24 January to 18 February.
Angel Way in Romford will be closed between its junction with St Edwards Way to Rubicon Court from 10 January to allow for new building work. The road is expected to re-open by 19 February at the latest.
Temporary traffic signals will be in use in Upminster Road North in Rainham at its junction with King Edward Avenue on Thursday 13 January to allow for sewer cleaning work.
Cadent Gas will be working in Sylvan Avenue, Hornchurch from 17 to 21 January.
On the tracks
|
On Sunday 2 January, a reduced TfL Rail service will be running. Some trains will operate between Liverpool Street and Gidea Park only.
Check TfL's travel page for more information.
Due to Network Rail undertaking track maintenance work between Barking and London Fenchurch Street, c2c rail services on the Rainham line will be diverted to start and terminate at London Liverpool Street station today (Friday 31 December). Tomorrow (Saturday 1 January) and Sunday services on this line will start and terminate at Barking.
Until Tuesday 4 January Ockendon line c2c services will also be diverted to start and terminate at London Liverpool Street. Passengers from Ockendon and Chafford Hundred should change at Upminster or Grays for connecting services towards London.
|
|
