 Havering Council will be making upgrades to five of the borough’s town centres over the next four months, improving the look and feel of these public spaces for businesses, shoppers and residents.
This work follows on from a series of consultations held last year, which asked residents for their comments and suggestions on what changes and upgrades they would like to see in five of Havering's town centres - Collier Row, Elm Park (pictured), Hornchurch, Rainham and Upminster.
Over 2,200 people responded to the consultation, plotting their suggestions and ideas on an interactive map for each town centre.
The local elections will take place on Thursday 5 May.
All seats on Havering Council will be up for election.
All Havering residents who are registered to vote in local government elections can take part, including European Union citizens.
There is still time to register to vote if you haven’t already.
Local elections give everyone the chance to vote for a local representative for the next four years.
Whoever you choose to vote for, it’s important that you register by Thursday 14 April so you can have your say in our borough’s future.
Following a review of Havering's electoral boundaries the number of wards in the borough has increased from 18 to 20.
If you vote in person, then your usual place of voting may also have changed.
When you receive your polling card towards the end of this month, please check it carefully for instructions on which polling station you should attend to cast your vote.
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A new campaign to provide a boost to protection aganst COVID-19 is now underway.
People aged 75 and over, residents in care homes, and those with weakened immune systems are being contacted by the NHS to receive another booster jab against COVID-19.
If you are in one of those groups the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme will contact you when it is your turn to be vaccinated again.
Once you receive an invitation, you will be able to book your appointment through the national booking system online, or by calling NHS 119.
Local NHS teams will also be administering the jab in care homes.
Cases of COVID-19
In the most recent weekly Government figures 1,704 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Havering. This is equivalent to an infection rate of 654 per 100,000 people. This was the same as the London average, but lower than the average across the whole of England.
Testing
COVID-19 testing will be closed from 6pm this Thursday (31 March).
From that time there will be no symptomatic or asymptomatic testing freely available to the general public.
A small number of people who are at high risk from COVID-19 will still be able to get free NHS tests. Find out more about the plan for living with COVID-19 on the Government's website.
On that website you can also find details of private providers of COVID-19 testing.
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Havering Council is once again supporting this year’s Great British Spring Clean. It's encouraging residents to grab a litter picker and help clean up their local area.
This year’s campaign, run by environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy, has the theme of One Bag, Big Difference. It emphasises that even the smallest of actions can help to keep communities cleaner and tidier.
Residents can borrow litter pickers, gloves and waste bags from the Council.
To do this, send an email and book up to six litter pickers.
Once your booking is confirmed, you can collect the pickers from the Harrow Lodge Depot, Hornchurch Rd, RM11 1JU, between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday.
The Great British Spring Clean is an annual campaign. This year it runs until Sunday 10 April.
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Havering Council has submitted a planning application for a new Family Welcome Centre, which will provide high-quality emergency accommodation to homeless families in the borough.
The Family Welcome Centre (pictured in an artist's impression) will form the first phase of the Harold Hill Town Centre Regeneration Masterplan.
Havering’s vision for the regeneration of Harold Hill Town Centre received Cabinet approval in spring 2021; it includes the redevelopment of the Farnham and Hilldene Estate, Chippenham Road and the current Abercrombie House hostel.
The proposed centre will contain 74 rooms in a variety of sizes, with the largest size accommodating up to eight family members.
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This week is your last opportunity to receive a 1.5 per cent discount off your Council Tax bill - if you pay in full by 1 April.
For Council Tax Band D properties, this could be as much as £28.40.
You can also get the 1.5 per cent discount if you pay your annual Council Tax in full in one instalment on 1 April by Direct Debit. If you want to do this complete the online direct debit form on our website and choose the payment date as the first of April. You don’t need to do anything else, Havering Council will request the payment from your bank.
If you already pay your Council Tax in instalments throughout the year by Direct Debit and want to change to a single, annual payment on 1 April in order to receive this 1.5 per cent discount, let us know.
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 Harold Wood Reading Friends Knit and Natter meet every Friday from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Harold Wood Library in Arundel Road. Bring your knitting and join the chat.
Also on Fridays at Harold Wood Library between 2.30pm and 3pm you can join Baby Bounce sessions for children up to two years old.
Singing nursery rhymes has been proven to help children develop their language and pre-literacy skills. By using rhythmic language and repetition, children learn how words are formed, supporting the early stages of language development.
Visit the Library on Friday afternoons or call 01708 434975 to find out more.
Harold Hill Library at 19a Farnham Road also holds Baby Bounce sessions every Tuesday morning during school term time between 10.30am and 11am. Email the library if you would like to know more.
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is joining forces again with Derby Theatre.
They will be bringing Robert Louis Stevenson’s iconic tale, Jekyll & Hyde, to the stage this autumn in a new adaptation by acclaimed playwright, Neil Bartlett.
This follows on from previous co-produced successes, including Abigail’s Party, One Man, Two Guvnors and Macbeth.
Jekyll & Hyde will play in Hornchurch from 26 October until Saturday 12 November.
The Cappella Singers Easter concert will be held this Thursday (31 March) at 7.30pm at Trinity United Reformed Church, Station Road, in Upminster.
The programme on the night will include a mixture of madrigals celebrating spring, and anthems for Easter. It's a free concert, but donations will be welcome. For more details call Ian on 01708 641718.
Havering Singers will be holding their 75th Anniversary Concert this Saturday (2 April) at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church, Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood.
They will be performing Handel's Messiah accompanied by a baroque orchestra. Tickets cost £15 for adults and £6 for children. More information on the Havering Singers website.
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The Hornchurch Passion Play is produced every four to five years on the Green outside the Queen's Theatre.
There was due to be a performance at Easter 2020 but then COVID-19 intervened, so that production will finally be seen this Easter.
You can watch the play for free on 15, 16 and 17 April at 7.30pm.
For more information visit the Hornchurch Passion Play website.
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Havering Council is to provide free parking in all council car parks across the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
This is to help support local businesses in our high streets and town centres.
Parking fees will be suspended between Good Friday, 15 April, and Monday 18 April inclusive.
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Havering Council's Land Charges department is celebating after it was named Local Authority Searches Team of the Year for the second year in a row.
The team won the award at the 2022 Land Data Local Land Charges Awards for Excellence, held earlier this month.
These national awards recognise the work and achievements of local authority Local Land Charges departments which carry out the land and property searches required for conveyancing transactions in England and Wales.
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A main road in Rainham will be closed for many weeks.
Broadway, between the War Memorial and the Phoenix pub, is closed to road traffic for around seven weeks until around 23 May while developers Persimmon Homes carry out essential building works on the site of the old Rainham Library.
During this time, the pavement will also be closed on that side of the road, but the pavement on the opposite side, outside the Rainham Parish Church, can still be used. Staff from Persimmon Homes will be on site to help if any assistance is required.
Some bus services will be affected by this road closure. The 103 bus service will start and end at Rainham Tesco during this time.
Bus routes 165, 287 and 372 will be diverting via New Road during this work. These buses will still stop at the War Memorial.
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Until this Friday (1 April) road closures for essential maintenance will mean that there is no access to the Gerpins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre from the Warwick Lane direction.
All vehicles must approach and leave Gerpins Lane from Aveley Road.
This may lead to longer queuing times.
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Free swimming for school-aged children is back for the Easter holidays.
You can book now for sessions starting next week (4 April).
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If you pay income tax via Self Assessment, there are a only few days left to pay you tax bill.
You have until this Friday (1 April) to pay your tax bill or set up a payment plan to avoid incurring a penalty.
The online Time to Pay service is available for businesses and individuals who have filed their Self Assessment tax return and owe up to £30,000.
If you owe more than £30,000, or need longer to pay, you can call the HM Revenue and Customs Self Assessment payment helpline on 0300 200 3822.
Businesses paying VAT
Businesses also have just a few days left to prepare for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT becoming mandatory for VAT-registered businesses on 1 April.
All VAT-registered businesses must use MTD for VAT for their first VAT return starting on or after 1 April, and that's no joke.
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Fancy enjoying some of Havering's beautiful scenery and sights?
If you do, the Havering Wellbeing Walks programme could be for you.
A new booklet has been published online. It has details of organised walks taking place across Havering from April until March 2023.
The booklet can be downloaded for free from the Havering Council website, and printed copies of this brochure can be collected free of charge from Walk Leaders. Copies are also available in libraries and medical centres.
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