LODGE AVENUE
A proposal to install a zebra crossing outside the school has been rejected as it was felt that it would not have been the best way of improving safety at the site and would have resulted in residents’ parking bays being removed. Different options to deal with the problem may be possible.

REGARTH AVENUE
We have raised matters relating to access to the River Rom from Regarth Avenue with the Council. We understand that Homes in Havering hope to be able to replace the soffits and also do some decorating here.
ROSSALL CLOSE
We have been glad to be of assistance to residents with environmental concerns.
HAYSOMS CLOSE
We understand that Homes in Havering hope to be able to replace the soffits on the properties here.
MAIN ROAD
We are grateful to Homes in Havering for replacing the white fencing in front of Royal Jubilee Court, which was always breaking, with much more sympathetic green railings.

ALCOHOL LICENSING APPLICATIONS REJECTED
An application for extended hours by The Edge in the Market Place has been rejected. An application by Park Lane Food Centre was rejected. An application by "Family Bargains" in The Brewery was rejected. An application by Tesco at 76 South Street was only approved after the applicants made significant changes to their proposal. An application for drinking outside at "The Brickyard" in South Street was also modified.
MALVERN ROAD
Residents have asked if the four voucher bays in the road could be converted to residents’ parking bays. We have suggested this to the Council.

HAVERING SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
This includes Romford Summer Theatre’s production of "The Winter’s Tale" (hopefully not an omen for the weather....) at the Rockery in Raphael Park from on Thursday 21st-Saturday 23rd June at 8pm, Sunday 24th June at 3pm and Thursday 28th-Saturday 30th June at 8pm. Tickets £10 (£8 concessions). More information available at http://www.romfordsummertheatre.com. For more information on other events in Havering Shakespeare Festival please see http://www.havering.gov.uk/Pages/Shakespeare-Festival, or pick up a festival leaflet in any Havering library or Havering Museum.

Romford Star Trek

ROMFORD STAR TREK
This women-only walk to raise money for St. Francis Hospice will be held on the night of Saturday 7th July this year, starting in the Liberty Shopping Centre. For more information or to sign up to take part please phone 01708 771431 or visit the St. Francis Hospice website www.sfh.org.uk.

Diamond Jubilee

This afternoon's Jubilee celebrations at "Margaret Thatcher House".  Photo by Cllr. Garry Pain.

HAVERING MELA
Organised by Havering Asian Women’s Association this popular annual event will be held on the green by the Queen’s Theatre on the afternoon of Sunday 24th June this year. There will be children’s, community and arts events and all are welcome.

A127 works

A127 Southend Arterial Road - Carriageway surface renewal

Transport for London (TfL) has appointed Amey to carry out repairs and renew the carriageway surface on part of the A127 Southend Arterial Road, in the vicinity of the A127 Ardleigh Green junction.

The A127 is an important TfL route for through traffic, and very difficult to maintain. We have arranged for the work to be done in　 phases to help reduce the amount of disruption caused, and to maintain traffic flow and road capacity as much as possible.

The works will begin on Tuesday 12 June through to Wednesday 27 June 2012 or till the work has been completed. Work will be carried out between the hours of 22:30 and 05:30 Monday to Friday only. As with all works on the Transport for London Road Network, we must balance possible disruption to residents with disruption to traffic. Working at night provides us with the best chance to complete these works as quickly as possible with as little disruption as possible

Every effort will be made to ensure that noisy operations are completed before midnight but we should explain that vehicle reversing warning beepers are essential safety devices to protect operatives.

All diversions will be clearly signposted locally, during the working times only. This will be indicated via - traffic signs. Access for emergency services will be maintained at all times through the works.

Bus routes using the Ardleigh Green Road / Squirrels Heath Road will also be diverted, and these diversions will be signed at local bus stops.

Transport for London is firmly committed to minimising disruption. We have worked closely with our contractor, Amey, and the London Borough of Havering in order to reduce the impact of these works on road users, local residents and businesses as far as possible.

I apologise in advance for any inconvenience that these essential works may cause. Should you require further information or an update during the delivery of these works please contact our Streets Customer Services department on 0845 305 1234 or via our website at

www.tfl.gov.uk/contact

ARTS IN ROMFORD
Romford theatre group Stage One Theatre Company are attempting to set up a small theatre space at the old War Memorial Social Club in Eastern Road. The group are putting on some shows to fund raise, and more information can be found at http://www.brooksidetheatre.com/ They will be producing the musical "Spring Awakening" in the hall from 26th-30th June this year. A regular programme of very enjoyable visual arts exhibitions is run by the Brentwood Road Gallery in front of Frances Bardsley School. The Gallery is open to all on Wednesdays-Fridays 9am-4.30pm and the second Saturday of each month between 9am-1pm and there is a regular programme of children’s and community arts events. For more information please see http://www.fbsarts.co.uk. Central Library has a regular programme of arts and literary events, including displays of works by artists in the main library space and film showings for the library Film Club. The next film showing will be "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" (1999, classification PG) on Thursday 21st June at 10.30am. Tickets are £1.50 for library members, £2 for non members and are available from the library at least 24 hours before the showing on 01708 432389 or central.library@havering.gov.uk. Havering Museum also run a programme of heritage-based arts activities for children. More information is available from the museum on http://www.haveringmuseum.org.uk, or by phone 01708 766571. The museum is also on Facebook and Twitter.

HORNCHURCH CONSERVATION AREAS
The Council is consulting on Area Appraisals and Management Plans to continue to improve the environment of Langtons and St. Andrew’s Conservation Areas in Hornchurch. Langtons Conservation Area includes Langtons House and the grade II listed building of Fairkytes Arts Centre, both recently restored by the local authority, as well as Langtons Gardens where the Council works with Friends of Langtons Gardens and is currently pursuing a Heritage Lottery Fund bid for the restoration of the park, as well as the Queen’s Theatre building, the green by it and other areas which form the setting of these landmarks. St. Andrew’s Conservation Area is centred on the grade I St. Andrew’s Church building.

CENTRAL ROMFORD ENVIRONMENT

The owners of 29 High Street, one of a very appealing row of Victorian properties, have worked with the Council to carry out the restoration of their shop front in Romford Conservation Area. It is hoped that others in the row might be able to follow suit and that it may be possible to improve the street scene and setting of the historic environment in the High Street. The Council have approved excellent plans to restore the façades of the old Woolpack (formerly "Secrets" nightclub) public house opposite. We look forward to this scheme being brought to fruition. The owners of the old Post Office (formerly "Brannigans") in South Street have also received approval for an excellent conservation based restoration of the façade of this building. We look forward to them implementing this scheme too and hope for street scene improvements to improve the setting of historic buildings in South Street as well. The Council has successfully persuaded BT to remove the unsightly advertisements from their phone box outside St. Edward’s Church in the Market Place in Romford Conservation Area and negotiations are ongoing with utility companies to mitigate the negative impact of the clutter of service boxes outside the Co-op Bank also in the Market. What seems to us to be a highly unsympathetic shop front has been installed at 8 North Street in Romford Conservation Area. The owners have been invited to submit a planning application for it. The owners of the site of the half-built monstrosity at 21-55 North Street have gone into administration. The Council refused this application but were over-ruled by the National Planning Inspectorate who felt it was acceptable. A programme of refurbishing the beds and surrounds on the roundabouts at Ludwigshafen Place, North Street, London Road and Oldchurch Road has been carried out by the Council. Pavement improvements have been made between the station and Havana Close in South Street. We continue to lobby for the scaffolding to be removed from Tollgate House in the Market Place

LODGE FARM PARK
Many thanks to the Council’s Parks Department for replanting the grass at the Sims Close entrance to the park. The Council works with Friends of Raphael and Lodge Farm Parks to help improve the park. For more information about the Friends please see http://www.friendsofraphaelpark.org.uk.
RAPHAEL PARK
The Parks Protection Service is to have an attendant at weekends and bank holidays during the summer to keep an eye on the toilets by the lake and keep them clean. Restoration of the historic landscape of the park will begin this Autumn, with new toilets provided.
CORONATION GARDENS
We have raised concerns about the state of some of the trees with the Council’s Parks Department.
NATURE CONSERVATION IN OUR GARDENS
The RSPB have published leaflets including "Garden Hedges", "Planting gardens for birds" and "Attracting beneficial insects". These are available from the excellent RSPB Visitor Centre at Rainham Marshes, or information is available online at http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/ RSPB Havering Local Group run a programme of events and can be contacted by email on rspb.havering@gmail.com or on the mobile phone number 07973 724969.

This weekend.....

The Diamond Jubilee weekend is here…

Break out the bunting as the borough celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a weekend packed full of events and more than 90 street parties planned.

The main Council celebrations are:

• Saturday (2 June), Diamond Jubilee Market in Romford Market Place.

Sunday (3 June), Service

• Sunday (3 June), The

• Monday (4 June),

　

　

　

of Thanksgiving, St Edward’s Church, organised with St Edwards, Romford Market Place, 10.30 to 11.30am.Diamond Jubilee Romfest event in the Market Place, from 12 noon to 6pm. There will be a carnival procession and family entertainment including Hope Murphy, of Britain’s Got Talent TV show and Chas Hodges, of Chas and Dave fame. Sixty primary school pupils, from across the borough, who received special Diamond Ticket invitations, will be guests of honour. Sports Festival and annual 5k family fun run, with a host of free sporting activities in Raphael Park, Romford from 10am to 1pm.

Jubilant Jubilee
It was a right royal occasion when more than 100 older residents living in the Council’s sheltered housing schemes and in the community, were invited to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee at Royal Jubilee Court.  The Mayor of Havering, Cllr Lynden Thorpe, attended the event, which was organised by members of the Council’s Mobile Support and Sheltered Housing Services team who wanted to make sure their clients didn’t miss out on the celebrations. The guests received a fish and chip lunch, with entertainment including Line dancing.