Operation Scaffold builds defences against rogue traders

​Skips, scaffolding and building materials in the garden are some of the items that could attract a visit from Havering Council Trading Standards and Havering Police as part of a continuing campaign against rogue traders.

​Operation Scaffold involves joint patrols across the borough with visits being made to properties where building work is taking place to check that the buyer knows their rights and that the builder is obeying the law, including giving written notice to the householder detailing their right to cancel the work. One in three of the visits in the last year led to action against the trader.

Since April 2013 85 visits have been made by the Operation Scaffold team with enforcement action being taken against traders on 26 occasions.  The visits are not all about enforcement but also through advice and assistance, help traders become aware of their obligations and trade fairly.

Operation Scaffold works to reduce doorstep crime and compliments other initiatives such as The Councils Banking Protocol which trains banks in the borough to be alert to unusual financial transactions on customers’ accounts, particularly in branch and if it is to pay construction related business alert police and Trading Standards so follow up checks can be made.

Havering Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Councillor Lesley Kelly said: “Operation Scaffold is proving a great success in helping protect local residents from traders who are not following the law. The best advice is to use traders who are members of Buy with Confidence as they are Trading Standards approved and will be following the law.”

Advice is available from 0845 404 0506 or emailtrading.standards@havering.gov.uk

Healthwatch wants to hear from you!

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HAVE YOUR SAY WITH HEALTHWATCH HAVERING

Healthwatch want to hear your experiences of health and social care service in Havering for people who have dementia or learning disabilities. Come along to;  HASWA, Greenfields, Kilmartin Way, Elm Park RM12 5NB on Monday 3rd March 1-3pm.  MYPLACE, 343Dagnam Park Drive, Romford RM3 9EN on Wednesday 5th March 6:45-8:45pm.

SALVATION ARMY, High Street, Romford RM1 1JJ on Thursday 6th March 1:30-3:30pm.

International Women's Day

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INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY – ‘SALUTING WOMEN’

Saturday 8th March 11.30am-4pm at Havering College of Further and Higher Education, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch RM11 2LL.  This FREE event focusses on the contribution women have made to society since World War 1.  With interactive workshops to learn new skills, demonstrations, inspirational speakers andinformation on opportunities available now for women, there’s plenty to enjoy. Schwap Shop Needs You! Bring along your good quality items of clothing to swap or buy something from the items on offer. Contact:kim.smith@havering.gov.uk or 01708 433393. Everyone welcome!

Council Tax freeze

Council freezes Council Tax and sets its budget

 

The Council has frozen its share of the Council Tax. Members voted to freeze the Council Tax for 2014/15 at meeting of the Full Council last night. This is the fifth year running that Havering’s share of the Council Tax has been cut or frozen.

 

This means that the average Band D Council Tax charge for a Band D property is £1,494.18 per year.

Despite more funding reductions looming Havering is doing its best to provide our residents with a better quality of life and a stable Council Tax with more money being spent on the key priorities of our residents.

 

The Council is spending an additional £500,000 to improve roads and fix potholes around the borough. A further £500,000 will provide state of the art 3G football pitches at the brand new Broxhill Sports Park in Harold Hill.

 

The Borough’s drive to increase school places and improve facilities for pupils has been boosted by an extra £4.5m this year, plus £14.6m the following year, and an additional £15.4m in 2016/17 for school capital building

Havering Enterprise Week

​Havering’s entrepreneurial spirit will be flowing strongly next week with more than 20 free events across the borough for local business people to attend as part ofHavering Enterprise Week (3 to 7 March).

​Throughout the week Havering Libraries will be promoting the online business resources they offer through their 10 local libraries.

On Monday 3 March the NatWest Business Bus will be in the Viking Way car park at Rainham from 10.00am until 3.00pm and City Business Library is running a seminar on making CV’s perfect from 10.00am until 12.30pm.

Tuesday 4 March sees Romford-based accountants Kingston Smith running two seminars at Havering Skills Academy - one on the stepping stones to starting your business (2.00pm until 3.00pm) and the other on marketing your business (3.30pm until 4.30pm). City Business Library is running three seminars live a stress-free life (2.00pm until 3.30pm); leading change in turbulent times (2.30pm until 4.30pm) and build a brand in six easy steps (2.40pm until 4.30pm). Former journalist Dina Behrman is offering a free webinar on how to do your own PR from 2.30pm until 4.30pm).

 

The highlight of the week is Wednesday 5 March which starts at The Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch with a Buy with Confidence breakfast run by Havering Council Trading Standards from 7.30am until 9.30am followed by the Havering Business Expo at Romford YMCA from 9.30am until 3.00pm. The Expo has 40 stalls promoting local businesses and a programme of seminars providing free business advice. City Business Library’s seminar today is 8 ways to have more energy in your business which runs from 10.00am until 12 noon. In the evening Women In Business meet from 5.30pm until 9.00pm at Havering College in Ardleigh Green Road.

 

On Thursday 6 March the NatWest Business Bus is in Romford Market Place from 10.00am until 3.00pm and a competition called Love Your Local Market will be launched.

 

The week ends on Friday 7 March with a breakfast meeting from 7.30am until 9.00am at The Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch led by Havering Council and Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry supported by Essex Federation of Small Businesses. At the Town Hall between 9.30am and 12.30am businesses can find out how to win contracts to work with the council and from 1.30pm until 4.30pm City Business Library is running a seminar on how to be a leader. Throughout Friday East London Business Place will be running two all day seminars.

 

Havering College is running two open evenings for would be apprentices and employers at their Ardleigh Green Road campus from 4.00pm until 6.00pm on Tuesday 4 March and Wednesday 5 March. On Saturday 8 March in The Liberty shopping centre a series of apprenticeship providers will be running an advice stand to give information on the different schemes and funding available for firms wishing to employ an apprentice.

 

Havering Council Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment, Councillor Robert Benham, said: “This year’s Havering Enterprise Week looks to be one of the best we have run with events that meet the needs of every type of business from the sole trader to the multi-national and across all business sectors.

 

“We are working closely with partners including local banks and accountants, Havering Skills Academy, Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry, City Business Library, East London Business Place and Havering College to deliver more than 20 events during the week.

 

“The message from this week of activities is that if you want a good place in which to do business then come to Havering - we have an ideal location with good transport links and housing, a well-educated work force and some excellent business premises.”

UK Youth Parliament

Record numbers of young people in Havering voted to elect two new members of the UK Youth Parliament who were announced at a special event at the Town Hall on Friday (21 February).
Around 10,800 young people voted in total, that’s just under 45 per cent of youths eligible to vote in the borough, with Frankie Walker (16) from Harold Hill and Tolu Akingbade (14) from Hornchurch, elected to represent them.

Freya Pearson (14) from Gidea Park and Destiny Fakayode (15) from Elm Park, were elected as Frankie and Tolu’s deputies.

In her speech after the results were announced, Frankie said: “This has been a really hard process – we’ve had to interact with lots of different types of people and speak in front of really large groups. But we did this because youths should be heard more and that’s what will lead to changes in society – that’s why this process and the role are so important.”

Frankie and Tolu will make the young people of Havering’s priorities and issues known at a national level.

When asked what they thought were the main things youths in the borough wanted them to address, they said some of the top issues were lack of work experience and combating negative stereotypes.

“We’re going to need jobs in the future, and we don’t just want to be another statistic,” said Destiny, “The world is a tough place and we need people to offer their support and give us experience.”

Frankie added: “There are a lot of misconceptions about young people and we need to break those down so that young and old both have mutual respect for each other.”

Councillor Eric Munday, Mayor of Havering, announced the results of the election. He said:

“Young people should take an interest in politics because we’re all affected by it, and it’s good to see some fresh blood getting involved in local politics.”

Nine candidates campaigned across secondary schools, colleges and youth centres in the borough.

Ghost hunting!

Come along to Collier Row Library on Monday 24th Feb at 7pm. Spend the evening with the team of Essex Ghost Huntersand experience the thrills and chills of their spooky encounters. See the equipment used, as they seek out the unknown. Don’t miss it! Tickets £5 members £6.50 Non Members. 

Gin Lane talk

Hornchurch Library will be hosting a talk by Adrian Teal on the Gin Lane Gazette.  The Gin Lane Gazette is a "Devilishly intriguing compendium of Scandal and Oddities from the darkest recesses of Georgian England."  Adrian is an inspired cartoonist and satirist, so this promises to be a highly amusing event.  Proceedings to commence at 2.30pm on the 27th day of March.  Tickets are £5 for library members (£5.50 non-members) 

Italian Market

Italian Market returns to Romford town centre

on Sunday 23^rd February 2014.

 

Italia in Piazza is an innovative and authentic Italian Food Market comprising a number of mouth-watering stalls bringing you all the wonderful tastes you would expect to get in Italy, such as parmigiano reggiano, prosciutto, salame, olives, extra virgin olive oils and much more.

 

There will be some Italian themed entertainment throughout the day to entertain shoppers as follows:

 

• Children will be able to have the opportunity to access Italian craft activities on the day.

 

• Italian themed street performers will entertain members of the public.

 

• Italian themed face painting.

 

• An Italian quiz for adults and children on the day courtesy of Havering Adult College. The winners will receive an Italian food hamper.

 

The Italian food market will be located along South Street and will run from 10am until 4pmand will hopefully add an extra dimension to the towns vibrancy and offer while increasing footfall within the town centre on a Sunday.

New Venture Players

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TABLE TOP AND CRAFT SALE

The New Venture Players are holding a Table Top and Craft Sale on Saturday 15th February 10am-2pm, 50p entry (£10 to book a table, if interested call LindaBeaney 07957 258280). St Michael & All Angels Church, Main Road, Gidea Park, Romford RM2 5EL.