 Redbridge Council passed its 'no-cuts' budget proposals for 2022/23 last night (Thursday, 24 February), including a series of council investments to help make the borough a better place for local people.
These are some of the key investments that residents will be getting from their council tax:
- £11m on leisure centres, including a brand new outdoor swimming Lido in Valentines Park, a 25 lane swimming pool in the new Wanstead Leisure Centre, the doubling of green space at Fairlop Waters and restoration of historic Hainault Country Park, with new event space, discovery centre and landscaping
- £15m in town centres and regeneration
- £16m on school improvements and new places
- £3.25m toward the Community Hubs project, bringing state-of-the-art libraries with additional services within 20 minutes walk of every resident in Redbridge
- £588k for more electric charging vehicle points with £400k on new and refurbished
- £5m on highways repairs, resurfacing roads, improving road safety and low emissions neighbourhoods
- £80m to build new affordable homes to rent for local people
- £2m to refurbish all Redbridge public toilets
 A series of fun, action-packed events are taking place tomorrow (Saturday, 26 February) in Ilford Town Centre for children and young people to celebrate the launch of the UNICEF Child-Friendly Redbridge Action plan.
These are just a taste of the free activities taking place in Redbridge Central Library:
11am – 4pm
Hungry Caterpillar trail: Hiding the Hungry Caterpillar's food throughout the children's library for children to find and to get a butterfly certificate (ages eight years and under)
11am – 1pm
Make Patterns Like Keith Haring: This Keith Haring-themed workshop is a drop-in and takeaway session, especially for children. Use block printing stamps and fabric pens to make patterns, then use simple stitching to create a decorative hanging to take home! (Redbridge Central Library, Gloucester Room)
2-4pm
Lab Central: a digital makerspace for people to meet, learn, create and innovate at Redbridge Central Library. It is a place for makers, tinkerers and inventors to work together, imagine and try new things while also having lots of fun!
 The Prime Minister this week set out the Government’s plans to live with and manage the virus.
This means:
- The remaining domestic restrictions in England will be removed. The legal requirement to self-isolate ends. Until 1 April, we still advise people who test positive to stay at home. Adults and children who test positive are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days.
- From April, the Government will update guidance setting out the ongoing steps that people with COVID-19 should take to be careful and considerate of others, similar to advice on other infectious diseases. This will align with testing changes.
 During March 2022, the council is holding a series of drop-in sessions to provide advice and support to residents affected by the increase in the cost of living. Staff from Benefits, Housing, Children’s Services and Work Redbridge will attend to provide one-to-one advice.
We will also be taking applications for the Household Support Fund (HSF). The HSF is available to residents facing hardship who need help with essential costs such as food, fuel, essential white goods, warm clothing and bedding.
The first session takes place at The Orchard Housing Office, Broadmead Road, Woodford Green IG8 0AG, on Thursday, 17 March 2022, between 10am and 2pm.
 The Healthy Start Scheme is changing. If you previously used the Healthy Start Scheme, you will need to reapply online to continue receiving help to buy healthy foods.
The Healthy Start scheme is now a digital service that offers an online application process and replaces the current HS01A leaflet and paper application form.
You are eligible for Healthy Start if you:
- are ten weeks pregnant
- have a child under the age of 4
- receive any of the following benefits child tax credit, income support, job seekers allowance or universal credit
Families entitled to Healthy Start can get £4.25 per week to help buy plain, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, plain cow’s milk, infant formula and fresh or tinned pulses. Beneficiaries of the scheme can also get free Healthy Start vitamins for women and children.
 It’s not always a case of out with the old and in with the new. You can help reduce waste by trying to repair things. It’s great for the environment and saves money too.
Swot up on your repair skills at East London Waste Authority (ELWA) free community Repair Cafe on Saturday, 5 March between 11am and 2pm.
Residents can bring textiles, bikes, and small appliances for repair to ELWA Repair Cafe, which is based at Parkside Community Centre, 176 Goodmayes Lane, Ilford, IG3 9PP.
Transition Town Ilford also regularly runs FREE Repair Cafés twice a month on Saturdays at Redbridge Central Library from 2pm to 3.45pm.
 Local school children helped plant more than 80 new trees in the borough as part of our Schools Tree Planting initiative. The three-month project involved nine Redbridge schools and more than 1,500 local school children planting 88 trees across school sites in the borough.
The initiative is part of efforts to increase tree coverage in Redbridge and give school children hands-on experience in planting and caring for trees, while learning about the importance of trees in helping tackle climate change.
 Household Notification Letters will be arriving with Redbridge residents very shortly.
Residents should please check the letter to make sure they are registered to vote. They only need to register once; they don't need to register separately for every election.
However, if a resident has moved home (even between two addresses in Redbridge), they must register again at their new address. Registering to vote is quick and easy.
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