Havering Council is continuing to take the strongest action against fly-tippers.

Recently, following reports by residents around the Briar Estate, Harold Hill, the Council’s enforcement team carried out investigations along with ward councillors, which has resulted in a number of actions.

One person has been given a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) and fined £40, for illegally dumping waste.

Four other people and a commercial business have been asked to attend a formal interview as part of the continuing investigations, including forensic examination of the dumped waste.

While another business has been served a Notice under Section 34 of The Environmental Protection Act 1990, asking it to provide the Council with proof that it has lawfully disposed of commercial waste for the previous three years.

Council officers will continue to carry out regular patrols and will be returning to do follow-up visits and investigations following the recent finds. Committing fly-tipping can land you with a fine of up to £50,000 and up to five years imprisonment.

Report fly-tipping

May is National Walking Month and if you want to improve or maintain your fitness, get out in the fresh air, make new friends, and explore different parts of Havering and nearby areas, then Havering Wellbeing Walks offer a variety of walks to suit all levels of ability. 

Every Monday, Tuesday and Friday there are at least two levels of walks available. The first option will be at a brisker pace, covering about three miles in an hour, while a second option will be more leisurely taking around 40 minutes in duration. Speak to a walk leader to discuss which pace of walk will be best for you.

Many people walk to stay healthy or improve their fitness; the group encourage a pace that makes it possible to hold a conversation but it is also okay to walk in silence until you feel more comfortable within the group. Walking also plays an important part in the borough’s plans to become a healthier place to live, work and play.

Whatever your ability, the walks give you the opportunity to enjoy nature and the changing seasons and to head out whatever the weather, come rain or shine, so robust footwear is essential and do bring some water, especially in warmer weather. 

The walking schedules are:

• Monday, 11am from Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre Car Park.
• Tuesday, 10am from the main gates at Raphaels Park.
• Friday, 10.15am from the Discovery Centre Car Park (Eastbrookend)

Additionally, there are longer walks every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. These walks, take around an hour and a half to two hours, covering about four or five miles for those who want something more challenging.

Walks take place at 15 venues in Havering, Brentwood and Dagenham. For more info on the Wellbeing and Walks programme including venues and dates, please visit the Havering Active website.

Read more

Havering’s Starting Well service has set out how it will provide high quality homes and support to more than 280 children in the Council’s care and 320 care experienced young people.

Cabinet has approved the plan which details the service’s priorities and its vision for creating a safe environment for children and young people in Havering and how the Council plans to achieve this over the next three years.

The Children's Services Sufficiency Needs Assessment Strategy highlights the services that will need to be delivered to meet the demand for support and homes in order to fulfil the vision outlined in the Ofsted Improvement Plan.

The strategy has been designed to ensure more children are placed in permanent homes as soon as possible; enabling more children in care to live in the borough by creating new children’s homes; increasing accommodation for children leaving care and ensuring foster carers are well trained.

Read more

The proposed development for Dorrington Gardens car park has been approved by Havering Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Thursday 8 May.

The project includes 34 homes, including a mixture of houses and apartments. The development will include car parking, play areas and amenities.

Read more

Two of the new cigarette ballot bins installed by Havering Council around the borough have been vandalised.

The bins in Hilldene Harold Hill and Rainham Village, were attached to lampposts, with one having the glass front smashed, see pictured and the other ripped from its post.

As part of the Council’s flagship campaign, Where We Live, the bins were installed to try and change the behaviour of those that just litter their cigarette butts on the ground when walking in these areas. The bins are designed to encourage people to think about helping everyone make the borough cleaner and greener.

The bins have a fun element to them, asking a question with two possible answers. The smokers can then choose which side to dispose of their cigarette butt by voting for whichever of the two answers they prefer. Examples include 'What would be the best superpower to have? Flying or invisibility?', or 'What pet is best? Dog or Cat?'.

At the same time, the Council were also reminding smokers that support to help them give up smoking is also available online.

The bins were found destroyed by street cleaning teams who were looking to empty them out on their usual rounds. Anti-social behaviour such as this won’t be tolerated in the borough and it sadly undermines the great work the Council is doing along with all the community groups and volunteers.

Everyone Active – which manage the borough’s leisure centres in partnership with the Council – has launched two exciting new schemes to celebrate the unsung heroes in our borough.

The Community Champions scheme recognises individuals or groups working hard to bring communities together, the successful applicants will receive funding to run their activity or project from a local leisure centre and be shortlisted for the national awards later this year.

The Colleague Champions scheme highlights Everyone Active staff who create a positive experience for customers and colleagues, with those selected receiving high-value vouchers.

Applications close on Thursday 12 June. You can find out more on the Everyone Active Champions website.

Havering Council’s community safety teams have been giving residents the chance to pick up vital skills to use in emergency situations.

Held at Harold Hill Library last week under the Safe Havens scheme - residents learned how to use bleed kits, recognise distress signals and offer the best support, and how to work with others during different emergency situations.

Safe Haven training can help equip communities with the skills to provide immediate assistance during emergencies, helping to enhance overall safety for those directly affected, and those around them.

Sessions were set up after residents requested the training - the Council’s community safety team were joined by Police plus local businesses and community groups.

The Safe Havens scheme and ongoing community work is part of the Clear Hold Build initiative, which was launched in 2023 in the Harold Hill area, between Police and partners including the Council. It looks at working with the local community to find ways to help prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, tackle it and work towards stopping the return of persistent crime.

Since its launch, there has been a reduction of over 50 per cent in reported offences and anti-social behaviour in Farnham Road, Harold Hill and nearby areas.

Romford Police Station’s 24-hour public front counter has now re-opened.

It means that the front counter at Hornchurch Police Station has now closed. Havering police has thanked everyone for their patience during the refurbishment at Romford.

The NHS is offering spring COVID-19 vaccines to those who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus – including those aged 75 and over (by 17 June 2025), residents of care homes for older adults, and those with a weakened immune system.

If eligible, you do not need to wait for an invitation to book your vaccine. To book, visit the NHS App, the NHS website or call 119 for free.

In Havering, you can also visit the following free NHS walk in clinics (over 18s only):

• 17 May (10am to 3pm) - Raphael House, Pettits Lane RM1 4HP
• 19 May (2pm to 5pm) - Harold Hill Library, 19a Farnham Road RM3 8ED

Check eligibility

The Havering Local Studies Library is hosting a photo exhibition, Images of Havering's War, illustrating aspects of the Second World War in Havering, particularly the heavy price paid on the Home Front during air raids.

Late on 7 May 1945 a BBC radio broadcast announced that the war had ended in Europe and that the following day, 8th May, Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), would be a national holiday.

On VE Day, 8th May 1945, there were many celebrations across the Havering district. The end of the war in Europe was a time of great celebration of victory and thanksgiving for peace after so much destruction and loss of life.

Images of Havering's War is on at Central Library Romford until Saturday 14 June.

Romford BID's Dog Showdown returns later this month as part of the Romford Food Festival, taking place on Monday 26 May from 10am to 4pm.

The event, hosted by local animal charity Scruffy’s Angels, promises a packed schedule of charming categories designed to showcase every dog’s unique personality and style. Whether you’ve got a bouncy puppy, a dashing rescue, or a senior dog who still steals the show, there’s a chance to shine in different categories. Find out more information on the website.

Havering Police and Havering Council have joined forces to host free football and basketball sessions over the upcoming half-term.

There are three sessions across the borough for children to get involved in:

• Wednesday 29 May - Bosworth Field, Myrtle Road, Harold Hill, RM3 8XS
• Thursday 29 May - Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch, RM11 1JU 
• Friday 30 May - Lawns Park, Horden Road, Collier Row, RM5 3HB

Football sessions for primary school age take place 11am until 12noon, and secondary school age from 12noon to 1pm. Basketball sessions for primary school age take place 12noon to 1pm, and secondary school age from 1pm to 2pm. No need to book, just turn up.

Havering Museum is hosting a brand new exhibition entitled Local Music Scene 1950s - 1960s. This fun and vibrant exhibition celebrates the local music scene from the era including venues, famous artists, and the fashions that followed.

The exhibition is available until Wednesday 28 June, and is included as part of the normal museum entry price. There are limited access times so check the website in advance for more details.

As part of the exhibition, Havering Museum is hosting a special fun and vibrant talk on the subject, which takes place on Saturday 17 May, 1:30pm to 3pm. Tickets cost £5 and include light refreshments.

Hear the Not-so-Dawn Chorus at Rainham Marshes and mark International Dawn Chorus Day with an exclusive guided walk to experience the magic of early morning bird song. The walk takes place at the RSPB Rainham Marshes nature reserve at 7am to 9:30am tomorrow, Saturday 17 May. Tickets start at £25, and you can find more information on the website.

Harold Hill Bowls Club is hosting an Open Fun Day Fete at the Bowls Pavilion, Noak Hill Road, RM3 7FL. Head along for games on the green, craft stalls, hot rolls and a bouncy castle.

The event takes place on Saturday 24 May, 11am to 3pm and all ages are welcome.

The Romford Town Wombles will be holding their monthly litter pick tomorrow, Saturday 17 May, from 10am. Find out more on their Facebook page.

A new ‘Recreate Treasures From The Thames’ diorama workshop is being held this May half term at Fairkytes Arts Centre on Tuesday 29 May between 10am to 3pm. The session will involve creating your own 3D model that has been inspired by historical artefacts, that you can take home.

Participants must be over 10 years old and it costs £14 per person. Bookings and payments can be made by calling 01708 433860 or via email.

Upcoming road closures 

There are currently no new road closures for the upcoming week.

Gallows Corner updates

Works continue on the Gallows Corner flyover and roundabout. There will be a series of temporary lane restrictions on the A127 Southend Arterial Road and A12 Eastern Avenue to/from Gallows Corner roundabout. These will reduce road widths from two lanes down to one.

All routes - including the flyover - will remain open, except for some overnight closures. There will be walking route diversions.

Major roads, approach roads and local roads will be very busy, so expect traffic queues and long delays. There is likely to be less disruption before 7:30am and after 7pm.

You can read more about the closures online.