Adoption reform David Cameron has told the Times that he wants potential adopters to have a far greater say over their future family. Under the present system, parents who have been approved for adoption wait for social workers to find them a child or children. However, the PM wants parents to be granted access to the national register of all children awaiting adoption and empower them to request that a particular match is pursued on their behalf. Mr Cameron will also insist that parties or activity days that bring together parents and children waiting to be adopted are introduced nationwide. He comments that despite reforms to speed up the adoption process, there is still much to do. He believes that by granting parents a greater role in choosing their children, more adopters may be encouraged to come forward. An editorial in the Times applauds the Government’s efforts to speed up the process. A number of case studies are all also featured. Source: The Times, Page: 1, 8     The Times, Page: 2 Send to Friend

EASTERN ROAD
The Council is to repair pavements and the road surface in Eastern Road outside of the ring road in the next financial year. Many thanks to residents who raised the issue with us.
THE BATTIS
The Council has been awarded some funding by Transport for London to consult residents on how the environment of The Battis could be improved. It is hoped that a further bid to Transport for London may fund environmental and other improvements to respond to residents’ concerns.
GIDEA PARK STATION
Crossrail, which aims to improve rail links in London and the south east, and improve access to rail transport for people with disabilities among others, will reach Gidea Park station at some stage. We have been lobbying Crossrail to seek to ensure that development at the station is not detrimental and, if possible, improves the environment of Gidea Park Conservation Area, which the station is in. Further improvements to the street environment by the station in Station Road, including some pavement widening and the introduction of a bay where people can pull in very briefly to drop people off for the station are proposed.

Odd Jobs?

ODD JOBS?
If you are over 50 and have small odd jobs which need doing but you find it difficult to do, the Age Concern Havering have volunteers who can help. For more information please contact Ken Miller on 01708 479868 at Age Concern Havering on WEDNESDAYS between 10.30am and 2pm. As the group are a charity they do ask for a small donation for the work, depending upon the size of the job.

CAN WE HELP?
Do please contact us if there are any environmental issues in your street or other broader issues relating to facilities in Romford or Hornchurch which you would like us to raise. We can be contacted by email on wendy.bricethompson@havering.gov.uk, andrew.curtin@havering.gov.uk and frederick.thompson@havering.gov.uk , or using the telephone numbers on this newsletter. We also have a Facebook site which can be found through Google (search) Romford Town Ward News.

Carepoint

CAREPOINT SPECIALIST SURGERIES
Carepoint, at 36 High Street, offer the following specialist surgeries for people looking for information about adult health and social care;

• Royal Association for Deaf People. First Tuesday of the month. 10am-4pm.
• Age Concern Havering Dementia Service. Second Tuesday of the month. 2pm-4pm.
• Papworth Trust (support for people with a wide range of disabilities). Every other Wednesday. 10am-12noon.
• Alzheimer’s Society. First Friday of the month. 12-3.30pm.

For more information either visit the centre, or phone 01708 752435, email info@haveringcarepoint.org, or visit the website http://www.haveringcarepoint.org.

Help not Hospital

HELP NOT HOSPITAL
This is a new scheme run by the British Red Cross, which aims to provide time-limited support to people after a personal crisis or illness, giving them the confidence and independence to continue with daily life. It helps people with things like essential shopping, collecting prescriptions, light housework or just general conversation and companionship to make it easier for people to be at home after a difficult time. If you know someone who you think could benefit from this very important service, please contact HnH@redcross.org.uk. Alternatively people can be referred in to it by their GP, other health professional, carer or social worker.

                  At St Edward's Church in the market place today to support their Christmas Fayre.                   This is Elaine, doing the tombola!

VICTORIA ROAD
It is hoped that an application can be made to the organisation Transport for London for funding to make environmental and car-parking improvements in Victoria Road inside the ring road, and consultation has been ongoing with businesses and residents in the area about how best this could be done. Many thanks to the resident who reported the loose hoarding on the approach to the railway bridge near where Salisbury Forge used to be. We reported the matter urgently to Network Rail.
SUPPORTING OUR ARMED FORCES
Havering Council and a number of other local organisations have signed the Armed Forces Community Covenant to promote public understanding and awareness of the issues affecting the Armed Forces Community in the borough and to help the Armed Forces achieve wider community engagement here. For more information on the covenant please see the Ministry of Defence website.

Christmas lights

Lights fantastic

Families turned out in their thousands for this year’s Christmas Lights Switch-on at Romford Market, last night (Thursday 15 November). Postman Pat® and Jess the Cat, along with Twist and Pulse, Hope Murphy, and Santa headlined the fun night of entertainment, which ended with a firework finale.

HAVERING MUSEUM
Havering Museum in the High Street, which is run by the independent local charity Havering Museum Ltd., has launched a new Variety Club with activities specifically aimed at people over 50. Events take place fortnightly on Wednesdays and Thursdays and offer events such as musical quizzes, looking at the artefacts in the museum and photography groups. The scheme is a partnership between the museum, Havering Council and Age Concern. If you are interested in joining, please telephone Ellen Owen from the museum on 01708 766571. Help is available for people who are housebound and need transport to get to the museum. To arrange this please contact Stephen Bynon on 01708 796602. More information about the museum, exhibitions and children’s activities is available on the museum website http://www.havering.museum.org.uk

Pedestian crossing

JUNCTION ROAD
Many thanks to all residents who responded to the recent consultation on the best location for a zebra crossing in Junction Road. Residents seemed unanimous in agreeing that the part of the road from Longdon Court to Western Road Medical Centre would be the best location for it, as it will improve access to the doctors, and so the Council has agreed that this is where it will be placed.

Conservation

NATURE CONSERVATION
Increases in the number of species of butterflies, moths and song birds have been recorded in the borough recently, including the Small Heath Butterfly, Small Skipper Butterfly, Six Spot Burnett Moth, Goldfinch and Greenfinch. Havering has won the "London in Bloom" award for work that the Council and other nature conservation groups do for Biodiversity in the borough for the second year running. This is the first time that a borough has won the award in two consecutive years. A number of measures have been taken to increase and improve natural habitats in the borough over recent years, including the introduction of meadow areas at Cottons Park, Lodge Farm Park, Raphael Park and better use of planting at roundabouts such as at North Street and Oldchurch Road. This has contributed to an increase in a number of plants which are important food sources for insects and birds, including Cuckoo Flower, Birdsfoot Trefoil and White Clover (which is a favourite plant of bees).

Crossrail

ROMFORD STATION
The Crossrail project aims to improve rail links in London and the south east, and to improve access to rail stations for people with disabilities, among others. Much work is currently being done on the project in central London. Eventually Crossrail will involve Romford station and we have been lobbying the organisation, highlighting the poor passenger environment in the station lobby and entering the station from the street, in the hope that they will be able to make progress on these issues as part of their work. For more information on Crossrail please see http://www.crossrail.co.uk.

HM Armed Forces

Hundreds of people lined the streets of Romford yesterday to welcome home the soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.

It was the second of five homecoming parades taking place this week to mark the Battalion’s return to the UK having completed a six-month tour in Afghanistan.

Andrew Rosindell M.P. is today celebrating the historic occasion of the flying of the flags of the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies in Parliament Square, London.

The flags were flying today for the first time ever, Thursday 1^st November 2012, for the State visit of the President of Indonesia to the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty’s Government has taken the decision to fly the flags of all the Territories and Dependencies for every State Visit in future and for Trooping The Colour, following years of campaigning to give them recognition by Andrew Rosindell M.P., supported by the Overseas Territories All Party Parliamentary Group and the Flags & Heraldry All Party Parliamentary Group, both of which he is Chairman.

Andrew has publicly thanked former Overseas Territories Minister, Henry Bellingham M.P. for his support and for ensuring that despite the bureaucratic hurdles, the flags were eventually flown for the Diamond Jubilee year of Her Majesty The Queen.

For further information, please contact Andrew Rosindell M.P. on (07880) 720864 orStarbuck Coleman, Clerk to the Overseas Territories A.P.P.G. on (07956) 252250.

Andrew Rosindell M.P.

Chairman, British Overseas Territories All Party Parliamentary Group

c/o Room 327/328, House of Commons, LONDON, SW1A 2AA

Telephone: 0207-219-8475   Fax: 0207-219-1960

e-mail: andrew@rosindell.com

Andrew Rosindell M.P.
Chairman

United Kingdom-Isle of Man (British-Manx) All Party Parliamentary Group

Room 327/328, House of Commons, LONDON, SW1A 2AA

Telephone: 0207-219-8475   Fax: 0207-219-1960

e-mail: andrew@rosindell.com

   

Andrew Rosindell M.P.
Vice-Chairman 

Channel Islands All Party Parliamentary Group

      

Room 327/328, House of Commons, LONDON, SW1A 2AA

Telephone: 0207-219-8475   Fax: 0207-219-1960

e-mail: andrew@rosindell.com

Andrew Rosindell M.P.

Member of Parliament for Romford

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

( 0207-219-8475 or 8499

Fax: 0207-219-1960

e-mail: andrew@rosindell.com

www.andrew.rosindell.com

---

UK Parliament Disclaimer:
This e-

Here's an update on the Ardleigh Green Road crash.

UPDATE: Up to five in hospital following Hornchurch crash involving three cars, college minibus and.

www.romfordrecorder.co.uk

The A127 has been shut in both directions and up to five people taken to hospital after a crash involving several cars, a lorry and a van in Hornchurch this afternoon (Thursday).

The Queen in Harold Hill

Romford Recorder

The Queen is due to arrive in Harold Hill at any minute!

http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/crowds_gathering_to_welcome_queen_to_harold_hill_1_1671024

Crowds gathering to welcome Queen to Harold Hill - News - Romford Recorder

www.romfordrecorder.co.uk

Well-wishers are gathering to welcome the Queen to Harold Hill - and they’re not being put off by the weather!

Show your support for our troops!

Come and show your support when over 200 soldiers of 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, march through Romford with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.

To mark The Royal Anglian Regiment's homecoming from their final tour in Afghanistan, 1st Battalion (The Vikings) will parade along South Street and Market Place, on Tuesday, November 6, starting at 12.30pm.

They will pass in front of Havering's enormous Union Flag flying proudly over the Market Place. There, there will be some short speeches before the soldiers are inspected by the Mayor of Havering, Cllr Lynden Thorpe.

Meanwhile, services commemorating Remembrance Sunday will be held throughout Havering on Sunday, November 11.

Remembrance Sunday will be marked across the borough, with all services observing the two minutes at 11am.

In Romford, the service in Coronation Gardens, Main Road, will start at 10:55amand will be attended by the Mayor of Havering.

Before this service, there will be a parade at 10.30am starting in Western Road and finishing at Coronation Gardens.

The Deputy Mayor of Havering, Cllr Eric Munday, will be attending the service in Hornchurch.

Councillors representing the Mayor will attend services in Rainham, Harold Hill and Upminster.

LICENSING APPLICATIONS
We objected to an application for extended hours at Wacky Bagels, 2-4 Eastern Road, and to an application for extended hours at Missoula Bar in South Street. Tesco have appealed against the condition that their alcohol bottles be marked to identify where they are sold from, applied by the local authority to their new shop in South Street recently. this condition would enable the police to identify where alcohol was purchased from if drunk on the street or associated with anti-social behaviour, so it seems regrettable that Tesco has appealed against the condition. An application for an alcohol licence at "Smart", 8 North Street, has been rejected by the Council

.
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES FOR ALL
Last year there were over 3,000 events and activities for all to enjoy in Havering’s 10 public libraries. For information about events for all ages young and old to enjoy either enquire in your local branch or visit Havering Libraries on anywhere.me/havering.
CHILDREN GO FOR FREE AT HAVERING MUSEUM
Havering Museum in Romford High Street offers excellent chances for children and young people to learn more about the long history of where we live. Children under 16 have free entry if accompanied by an adult. The museum is run by the local charity Havering Museum Ltd. Entry charges for adults are £2 each for senior citizens, £2.50 for others.

Romford Town Ward dinner

L to r.....Cllr Andrew Curtin, Marina Yannadoukakis MEP, Cllr Wendy Brice-Thompson and Cllr. Frederick Thompson

SOUTH STREET
Residents contacted us to report some environmental health issues in an alley way behind some of the shops outside of the Ring Road. The Council’s Public Protection and Streetcare Enforcement Officers have visited and action is being taken to rectify the situation.
LODGE AVENUE
The summer "rainy season" has resulted in a profusion of weeds coming through pavements and gullies here and in other roads. We are grateful to residents for reporting the issues and highlighted them to the Council as areas of particular concern to residents.
BRUNEL CLOSE/ DICKENS WAY/ CAXTON WAY/ ROEDEAN DRIVE.
We continue to work jointly with residents of all the above roads on ongoing road issues on the estate.
MAIN ROAD
The Council is to repair damage to the coping stones on Black’s Bridge between Raphael Park and Lodge Farm Park.
OLYMPICS/ PARALYMPICS
Official estimates are that 150,000 people came out to see the Olympic Torch pass through Havering on 22nd July. Celebrations to greet the Paralympic Torch were central to this year’s Havering Show. The Council has produced information about where in Havering children and young people can take part in all of the sports in the Olympic Games (or, in the case of a few more esoteric sports, where they can be pursued near here). The list is available on http://www.haveringactive.co.uk/news.html.
ART IN ROMFORD
St. Edward’s Music Society will hold a Diamond Jubilee Concert on Sunday 21st October at 6.30pm in St. Edward’s Church in the Market. The programme will include Handel, Vivaldi and Albinoni. More information can be found on the notice board outside the church or on http://www.stedwardsboxoffice.org. Romford Contemporary Arts and Romford Artists Cooperative a a group of outstanding visual artists who make work in places throughout the town. For more information please see http://www.romfordarts.com or the Facebook page - Romford Contemporary Arts Programme. Romford Summer Theatre, who perform Shakespeare in Raphael Park every summer, have established a "Friends" group. Membership enables us to support the excellent work of the group and receive benefits. For more information please contact enquire@romfordsummertheatre.com. Brentwood Road Gallery will have a Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday 10th November. For more information please see http://www.fbsarts.co.uk
CENTRAL ROMFORD ENVIRONMENT
We have sought clarification about the visual impact of proposed new shop fronts at 17-19 South Street and 49-51 South Street and would like to be sure that the new fronts will be smarter than the previous ones. We have objected to a retrospective application to permit what seems to us a wholly inappropriate shop front at 8 North Street in Romford Conservation Area, and have sought clarification of the street scene impact of applications for outdoor seating in front of The Bull public house and Yates Wine Bar.

WOODFIELD DRIVE
We have passed on concerns raised with us by residents about a dip in the pavement caused poor back-filling of a trench.
COTLEIGH ROAD
Residents have raised environmental concerns with us. We have sought progress on these from the relevant authorities.
HAYSOMS CLOSE
Homes in Havering hope to replace soffits and do external painting and refurbishing at the properties in this close.

Ellen Owen posted in Havering Museum

Ellen Owen

26 September 23:59

Want to learn how to make jewellery and a fascinator then come to our new workshops on Tuesdays, 9th, 16th and 23 October. Tickets are £12 per session or £35 for all three and this includes your materials. Excellent time to learning how to make Christmas presents for your friends.

Ellen Owen posted in Havering Museum

Ellen Owen 26 September 23:51 Haunted Havering ... and Beyond exhibition opened on Saturday, 24 September and runs through to Saturday, 24 November by Cllr Andrew Curtin. Don't forget to book your tickets to all the different talks, icluding a ghost walk of Romford. Go towww.haveringmuseum.org.uk Havering Museum www.haveringmuseum.org.uk Havering Museum

SPORT IN ROMFORD
A new public sports centre is to be built in Western Road, inside the Ring Road, near the entrance to the shopping centre. The centre will have an 8-lane 25 metre public swimming pool, a new ice rink for hockey and ice dance the same size as the current one on Rom Valley Way, a sauna and steam room, a gym and a dance studio. The new centre will be designed to be inclusive of people with disabilities, and will include a MENCAP "Changing Places toilet. The new five a side football centre at King George’s Playing Fields on Eastern Avenue will open this Autumn. Sports pavilions in Raphael Park will be redecorated externally as part of the restoration of the park.

NAYLAND COURT
Many thanks to residents who contacted us regarding noise nuisance issues arising from "The Edge". We have worked with residents to make progress on these matters.
WATERLOO ROAD
Network Rail will be applying for permission for a Rail Operating Centre and Maintenance Delivery Unit by the railway track on the side of the road that the hospital used to be on. We understand that a new pedestrian crossing may soon be proposed in the section of Waterloo Road between Union Road and Oldchurch roundabout.
VICTORIA ROAD/ HEATH PARK ROAD
Network Rail has removed the width restrictions on the bridge after pressure from residents and the Council.

Transport for London news

Manual boarding ramps will remain post-Games

11 September 2012

Accessible manual boarding ramps, which have helped spectators using wheelchairs travel to the Games by Tube, have been so well received by passengers they will be retained.

The ramps have been used at 16 key Underground stations where there is a gap between the train and platform, enabling wheelchair users to board trains more easily.

They will stay in use for the next few months while a review is carried out to assess whether they are viable on a permanent basis.

Huge accessibility improvements have been made to the transport network in recent years as part of the £6.5bn investment in transport ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The ramps are in use at Hammersmith, King's Cross St. Pancras, West Ham, Westminster, Southfields, Wimbledon, Earl's Court, Fulham Broadway, Stratford, Woodford, Oxford Circus, Queen's Park, Edgware, Morden, Finchley Central and Stockwell Tube stations.

OAKLANDS AVENUE
Residents have reported safety defect in the pavements. We have raised the concerns with the Council, which has arranged for repairs to be made.
KINGSMEAD MANSIONS
We are working with residents, owners and other parties on environmental issues.
THE BREWERY SHOPPING CENTRE CAR PARK
We have raised issues of skate-boarding in the middle of the night and noisy mechanical street cleaning at this site, which is causing disturbance to nearby residents.
ST. ANDREW’S ROAD
Yellow lines at the junction with Queen Street have been reinstated following concerns about safety raised by local residents.

MERCURY GARDENS
We are seeking to establish who is responsible for the drain which often overflows on to the footpath by the Liberty Bell.
SIMS CLOSE/ IVES GARDENS
We have asked the Council whether it might be possible to repair and resurface the pavements here.
MALVERN ROAD
Many thanks to residents who recently gathered a 43 signature petition among neighbours asking for voucher bays at the Park Lane end of the road to be turned in to residents’ bays. We pursued the matter with the Council, which is now going to consult formally on the idea in the Autumn.
REGARTH AVENUE
The Council is to install a "No Through Road" sign at the end of the road after residents raised the issue with us.
KINGSTON ROAD/ ERROLL ROAD/ GILBERT ROAD
We have asked the Council to examine whether it may be possible to repair and resurface the pavements in these streets.

Homeless families jump The number of homeless families accommodated in council bed and breakfast establishments has risen by 44% over the last year. The rise comes after ministers warned 20 councils not to house families in B&Bs for six weeks or more. The National Housing Federation, which represents housing associations, found that between January and March 2011 there were 2,750 families nationwide living in B&Bs. In the same period in 2012 this had risen to 3,960, an increase of 44%. Source: The Guardian, Page: 4   Independent i, Page: 22   The Sun, Page: 2

Councils cautious over planning reforms

Councils cautious over planning reforms A national survey by GL Hearn and the British Property Federation has found that 88% of councils believe that the Government’s new planning reforms will lead to no change and may even decrease development. One in eight local authorities believed that the reforms would lead to more homes and economic growth, and 2% thought that the changes would produce a materially faster and leaner system. Private sector parties who were polled were also fairly downbeat. Just under a third said that the changes would lead to the construction of new homes or significant economic growth. GL Hearn also said it had researched the performance of London boroughs when processing major planning applications. It found that no boroughs achieved the Government’s target of processing an application in less than 13 weeks or less. The average across the capital was 35 weeks. Source: The Times, Page: 48:

　
LOGAN MEWS
Many thanks to London and Quadrant Housing for replacing the street gate to these flats.
EASTERN ROAD
The Council rejected a request to reopen Eastern Road at the junction with the Ring Road.
DOUGLAS ROAD/ CRAIGDALE ROAD/ KYME ROAD/ ALBERT ROAD.
The Council has agreed to consider changes to disc parking and voucher parking at the Brentwood Road end of these streets. We would be grateful for views from residents as to whether they feel any changes would be beneficial or not please.
DYMOKE ROAD
The Council intends to resurface the pavements in this financial year.
GEORGE STREET
Residents have raised street cleaning problems with us. The Council is taking action against the source of the problem.

Fall in unemployment

The ONS has reported that the number of people out of work fell by 7,000 to 2.59m in the three months to July. The unemployment rate was 8.1% in the period, down from the previous quarter’s 8.2%. The figures also show that the number out of work for more than a year was 904,000, the highest since 1996. There was a fall of 15,000 in the number claiming Jobseeker's Allowance to 1.57m, the largest drop since June 2010. The number in work increased by 236,000 to 29.56m, a figure the FT notes is virtually back to its pre-recession peak. The Olympic Games is likely to have been a factor as London accounted for 91,000 of them. The total in part-time work rose by 134,000 to 8.12m, the highest level since records began in 1992. Contrasting fortunes in Scotland saw Alex Salmond blaming the lack of an “Olympic effect” for pushing their unemployment rate, which is 8.2%, above the rest of the UK. Source: Financial Times, Page: 3   The Daily Telegraph, Business, Page: 2   The Times, Business, Page: 51   The Guardian, Page: 29   The Herald, Page: 6

Weekend Tube work

Tube upgrade work is to resume from this weekend, following a break during the London 2012 Games.

Closures will be in place across a variety of lines over the coming weekends, although Transport for London (TfL) has said there will be no closures during December.

The work aims to deliver faster and more frequent journeys for passengers, according to TfL, and provide 30 per cent more service across the network.

The programme will include maintenance work on key lines to ensure track, points and tunnel structures remain in the best possible repair.

Brand new signalling will replace the old systems on the Northern, Metropolitan, District and Circle lines.

TfL said at least 80 per cent of stations will remain served and all areas of the capital remain accessible and open for business at all times while work in ongoing.

Key events such as Remembrance Sunday and the weekend of the Lord Mayor’s Show will be protected from closures.

Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: “In recent years, huge improvements have been made on the Tube – with upgraded trains, stations, signals and track. During the London 2012 Games the network successfully kept London moving and carried more people than at any other time in its 149 year history.

“But to continue to deliver for London, we need to keep going with the programme of improvements that will provide the extra capacity to support the city’s growing population and ensure that equipment is maintained and replaced before it wears out and causes failures and disruption.

“I know that all closures are frustrating, and we are making every effort to keep disruption to a minimum and to provide information and alternative travel options.

“We have reduced the effect of the closures by 10 per cent compared with last year and at least 80 per cent of stations remain served at weekends, and key periods, including the run-up to Christmas, will see no line closures at all. We will also be using every possible way of communicating with our customers to keep them fully informed of the best way to get around.”

TUDOR GARDENS
Close analysis of responses to recent consultation on car parking reveals that residents are concerned to see the pavement parking bays more clearly marked in the road, and are concerned at poor sight lines in Repton Drive when driving out of Tudor Gardens. The Council is to re-mark the parking bays in Tudor Gardens and take measures to tackle the safety issue at the junction with Repton Drive.
TUDOR AVENUE
The Council is to consult residents on the idea of installing a "kiss and ride" drop off bay at the Balgores Lane end of Tudor Avenue, limiting parking in the bay to 10 minutes.
REPTON GARDENS
Many thanks to residents who highlighted potholes in the carriage way to us. Orders have been raised for their repair.

Repton Avenue consultation

REPTON AVENUE
Following recent consultation which showed that, though residents in Repton Avenue were evenly divided on whether they felt there was a car-parking problem in their road, residents at the very end reported serious problems the Council is to propose action to seek to ease the problems experienced by residents at this end of the road only. Some residents in Repton Avenue also raised safety concerns about the bend in the road between Repton Gardens and Balgores Lane. Bearing in mind that opinion was sharply divided on this issue, the Council is to consult residents on action which could be taken to respond to the problem if, in consultation, residents feel that they would be of benefit.

Olympic boroughs lag London Hopes that the Olympic and Paralympic Games would boost house prices in East London have been dashed, according to research from the Royal Bank of Scotland. The bank said that on average the prices in the five host Olympic boroughs increased at an annual rate of 4% since 2005, this compared with an overall London average of 5%. In the most exclusive boroughs, prices rose by 9% during the same period. While house prices have not increased quickly in the Olympic boroughs, the average price of rent climbed by about 36% between July 2010 and 2012.   Source: The Times, Page: 36

Greener Hornchurch

PARK LANE RECREATION GROUND
The Council is to take measures to permanently protect Park Lane Recreation Ground and guarantee it is always a green space for nature, sport and the community as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Playing Fields scheme to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
HYLANDS PARK
Hylands Park has retained its "Green Flag" for excellent maintenance and environmental standards again this year. For more information on the Green Flag scheme, please see the paragraph about Cottons Park at the start of the newsletter. The Council works with Hylands Park Action Group (www.hylandspark.co.uk) at the park.
LANGTONS GARDENS
The Council has been successful in the first stage of a two stage process for securing funding from Heritage Lottery Fund for the restoration of this important historic garden. The Council works with Friends of Langtons Garden at the park.
HARROW LODGE PARK
Maintenance has been improved to strengthen the role of the park and River Ravensbourne as a centre for nature conservation and to provide more effective nature conservation links to nearby Thames Chase Community Forest land.

Protecting sporting facilities Lord Moynihan, the chairman of the British Olympic Association, has argued that councils should be forced by law to provide sports facilities for people in their area. He said reducing facilities deprived people inspired by the Olympic Games of the “opportunity to really engage in sport” and added that their provision should be a “statutory requirement”. Lord Moynihan has also called for the first Government audit of leisure and sporting facilities. A survey for the BBC found that out of 369 councils in Britain, 126 said they had reduced sports provision. Flick Rea, of the Local Government Association, questioned whether legal protections would have any effect. She said councils were fully aware of the importance of such facilities, but warned that 28% of cuts into a £1.8bn leisure and sport budget inevitably meant that in some areas these services will have to be reshaped. Source: The Daily Telegraph, Page: 9   The Independent, Page: 14   Independent i, Page: 57   Daily Mirror, Page: 8