Havering set to mark National Libraries Day

​Havering Council is all set to mark National Libraries Day on Saturday 7 February, with a week of events leading up to the day including poetry, story time, chatterbook sessions and more. 

​Poetry by Heart

For the third consecutive year, Romford Library plays host to the Poetry by Heart East London County Competition on Wednesday 4 February 2015 at 6.30pm.

Poetry by Heart is a pioneering national competition designed to encourage pupils aged 14-18 and at school and college in England to learn and recite poems by heart.

Last year saw some powerful and moving poetry recitations by local students, and the Council is hoping for some even more stunning performances this year.

Tickets to attend the event are free, please contact your local library or call 01708 432389 to book a place.

To see some of last year’s finalists and read some of the poems students will be reciting, visit the Poetry by Heart website.

Story time special

There will be special stories for children aged 4 to 8 at Harold Hill Library from Monday 2 to Friday 6 February from 4pm - 4.30pm and on Saturday 7 February from 2pm - 2.30pm. 

Upminster Library will also hold a special session on Tuesday 3 February at 11am. 

Reading aloud tips for parents with toddlers

To pick up tips on reading aloud and enjoying books with toddlers, there will be free sessions at the following:

Elm Park Library: Wednesday 4 February, noon – 12.30pm

Upminster Library: Thursday 5 February, 11-11.30am

South Hornchurch Library: Friday 6 February, 11-11.30am

Budget consultation

​Following three months of public consultation, councillors are set to considerrevisions to Havering Council’s budget proposals​, published last September. If agreed, the changes would see longer opening hours for Upminster Library than had been proposed; lower charges for parking in parks; a potential new way of providing youth services and a new timetable for the reduction in subsidy to the Queen’s Theatre.

​At the last Cabinet meeting, after consideration of the public feedback, Councillors were keen to explore revised proposals for some of the areas that generated the most public concern. These new proposals will now be considered at a special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 4 February and then by Overview and Scrutiny on Wednesday 5 February. 

The main revisions are:

Libraries:

- Upminster Library (together with Hornchurch, Romford, Rainham and Harold Hill) to be open 50 hours a week – with the other libraries opening for a minimum of 24 hours per week. 

- Use of Computers in libraries to remain free, with the proposed charges replaced by increased fines for late returns.

- Protection for the summer reading challenge with an extra staff post

- A staff post to remain in the Local Studies and Family History Centre

Youth Service:

- To support the setting up of a Youth Trust (employee-led mutual) to provide targeted youth services. 

- To explore a partnership arrangement with the YMCA. 

- These proposals to be subject to a full consultation later in the year

Parking in parks:

Revised tariffs for car parking in parks: 

- 20p for up to three hours and 50p for up to five hours, Monday to Friday 8am – 6.30pm. 

- Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays – free to park.

- Free at all times for registered disabled users

- Some smaller parks where parking facilities are not viable would be exempt 

Queen’s Theatre:

- The £200,000 reduction in the Council’s subsidy for Queen’s Theatre will be staggered over three years, rather that two. 

Councillor Roger Ramsey, Leader of Havering Council, said:

“The revised proposals keep Upminster library – our third busiest – open for longer each week; they will allow for a stronger youth service in the future, keeping young people safe and off the streets; they will ensure that parking in parks is affordable during the week and free at weekends and they will phase the cut in subsidy to the Queen’s Theatre over a longer period to make it easier for the Theatre to adjust.

“The main priorities of local people remain the cleanliness and safety of the Borough and our budget proposals already support those aims. Where residents highlighted other issues, we’ve looked again to see what can be done. We’re facing very large cuts in our funding, so we’re only able to make fairly modest changes to our proposals, but we’ve tried to address some of our residents’ most pressing concerns.”

See a full list of the revised proposals​. The Cabinet meeting will also be broadcast live on 4 February through Havering’s webcast facility. 

Winter health advice for older people

Winter health advice for older people

As the weather gets colder and the nights longer, GPs in Havering have published a handy new guide with their top tips for older people to stay healthy over the winter.

The main messages to older residents from GPs are to keep warm, eat well and get a free flu jab from your local practice or pharmacy.

Details of different NHS services if you do fall ill are included along with advice to prevent falls and what to do if you do fall.

The Care Act aims to join up the social care services offered by local authorities and healthcare services run by the NHS and provide preventative services to keep people healthy.

Energy saving lanterns light up the borough and save £500k a year

​Havering Council is seeking to cut its energy bills by around half-a-million pounds a year by converting more than 90 per cent of the borough’s street lights to Light Emitting Diode (LED). 

​In October 2013 the Council agreed to convert 6,000 street lights in residential roads to energy efficient LED lanterns, which it completed in November 2014. 

Last November, cabinet members agreed to extend the project by converting a further 10,600 street lights, which means around 92 per cent of the borough will have LED street lights, resulting in massive savings of around £462,000 a year, and significant reduction in carbon emissions. 

The estimated cost of the project is £2.7 million, which will be paid for in part by an interest free loan available to local authorities through the Salix Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, a programme organised by the Department of Energy & Climate Change.

The remaining amount will come from existing capital budgets and Transport for London (TfL) Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding.

The Council provides and maintains approximately 18,000 street lights across the borough and currently spends over £650k a year on electricity for street lighting.

 

The new energy saving lighting will drastically reduce costs in the borough while mitigating against inevitable rising energy prices.

 

Crucially, the new lighting will also help residents feel safer and more secure in the dark than the orange light in use now, because the white light of LED lanterns makes it easier to distinguish objects, colours, shapes and other details. 

 

The way the new LED lanterns are shaped will ensure the light is directed downwards instead of upwards into the night sky - dramatically reducing light pollution in the sky.

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: 

“We know all too well how important it is to make savings at the moment, but this project has multiple benefits - it’s better for the environment and improves safety too. I’m really pleased we’re able to roll it out across the borough for more residents.”

The remaining eight per cent of lanterns are not being converted because they are in conservation areas. 

Residents who feel that the new lights are too bright and glaring directly into their homes can contact the Council, which will assess the angle and may fit a shield to deflect the light. 

Join Havering Council’s Collective Energy Switching scheme to see if you could get a lower energy price!

How it works:

If you are interested in finding a lower energy prices you can register for the Collective Energy Switching scheme.  This is being promoted by Councils across the UK, so everyone who registers is collected together as a group of potential customers.  On 3rd February, an auction is held in which energy companies bid their lowest price for the chance to gain the new customers.  The lowest offer wins the auction, and personalised offers are made to everyone registered saying how much they could save if with the new energy tariff.

Once you receive the offer, you can decide if you want to switch to the tariff being offered – there is no obligation to accept the winning bid, and it is free of charge to register.

Fit to cycle

Havering Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Robert Benham, said: "The start of a new year is a time when many people decide to do more exercise and cycling is an excellent way to enjoy the green spaces of Havering while getting fit.

"This edition of Cycle News highlights the Ingrebourne Way, one of our cycle routes which goes from Harold Hill to Rainham, as well as ways to explore London by bike.

"There are also several cycling groups in Havering so you can join their rides and get tips to help make cycling a pleasure.

"Havering Council offers a range of training courses to help people cycle safely as well as maintenance classes so you can keep your bike in top condition.

"Making sure your cycle is on the Bike Register is easy too with regular cycle coding sessions held in Romford Market.

"So if you’re cycling in 2015, please do so safely and enjoy the parks and green belt which makes Havering such a pleasant place."

The London Ambulance Service asks people to use their ambulance service wisely

​The London Ambulance Service has been receiving very high numbers of calls in recent weeks and is expecting to be under further pressure during the winter months.

​The London Ambulance Service is asking people to use their ambulance service wisely and only call 999 in a real emergency. Anyone who becomes ill or injured and need medical help or advice should use the right NHS service for their needs:

• Self-care
• NHS 111
• Pharmacist
• GP
• NHS walk-in centre, urgent care centre or minor injuries unit
• A&E or 999

Self care

A lot of illnesses can be treated with over the counter medicine and getting plenty of rest. This is the best choice to treat very minor illnesses and injuries.

 

NHS 111

NHS 111 is a new service that is being introduced to make it easier to access local NHS healthcare services. NHS 111 is a quick and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time when there is no emergency.

 

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones.
Call 111 if:

 

• you need medical help fast but it's not a 999 emergency
• you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
• you don't know who to call or you don't have a GP to call
• you need health information or reassurance about what to do next

 

For less urgent health needs, contact your GP or local pharmacist in the usual way.

 

If a health professional has given you a specific phone number to call when you are concerned about your condition, continue to use that number.

 

Pharmacist

Pharmacies can be found in local areas across London. Your local pharmacist can give you advice on illnesses and the medicines you need to treat them.

Visit a pharmacist when you are suffering from a common health problem which does not require being seen by a nurse or doctor.

 

GP

GP surgeries can be found across London. You can make an appointment with a doctor for medical advice, examinations and prescriptions. In an emergency, a GP can also visit your home outside of opening hours – if you need this service, telephone your local surgery and follow the recorded instructions.
Make an appointment with your local GP when you have an illness or injury that will not go away.

 

NHS walk-in centre, urgent care centre, or minor injuries unit

Walk-in centres, urgent care centres and minor injuries units give healthcare and advice. Most are open from early in the morning until late at night. You do not need an appointment, and you will be seen by an experienced nurse or GP.

 

Visit one of these centres if you need medical treatment or advice which does not need a visit to A&E or a medical appointment.

 

A&E or 999

Accident and emergency departments are found at most hospitals. They help people who show signs of being very ill or are badly injured.

 

If it is an emergency and you need to call 999, tell the operator that you want to speak to the ambulance service. You will be transferred to one of our call takers who will ask questions so that we can decide what help to send you.

 

In an emergency, ambulance staff will be sent to help you. If you have a more minor problem and you do not need immediate help, one of our specially-trained clinical advisors may give you medical advice over the phone

 

Alternatively, we may pass your details on to NHS 111, so that one of their advisors can ring you back with advice.

 

You should only call 999 in an emergency. If it is not a life-threatening situation, consider the other options available to you.

Inter Faith event

Here are details of a forthcoming Inter Faith event happening in our borough

 

On Thursday February 5th 2015 at 8 pm there will be an Inter-Faith Discussion Evening on the topic of Health and Healing with speakers from different faiths, including Baha’i, Christian and Hindu, who will talk and answer questions at the Salvation Army, High Street, Romford, RM1 1JJ. All welcome to come and participate.

 

Kick off the New Year by finding out more about fostering

​Havering Council is holding the first fostering information event of the New Year on Thursday 8 January.

​These regular events, held at the Town Hall, Main Road, Romford, are a chance for people to find out everything they need to know about fostering, ask any questions and meet current local foster carers.

 

Anyone is welcome, those that have always considered fostering but want to make 2015 the year they take that final step, or people who just want to find out more about it.

 

Havering foster carers receive full training, generous financial allowances, the on-going support of their own social worker and all their costs covered throughout their fostering career.

 

With around 200 children in care at any time, the borough needs more local people to come forward and become foster carers.

 

There are few rules around who can foster, all a carer needs is to be over 21 with room to spare in their home and time to spare in their lives.

 

There is no obligation from simply attending an event, residents can speak to members of the fostering team and go away and think about their decision.

For those who want to take that next step, they can chose to sign up on the night and begin the process straight away to become a foster carer.

 

Councillor Meg Davis, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, said:

 

“With the New Year upon us, now is a great time to think about fostering. If you’ve also wanted to do it but never took that final step, do it now.

 

“It’s a great opportunity to try something new, expand your family and even earn a little bit extra, and all that pales in comparison to the great work you’ll be doing for children in your community.”

 

The event starts at 6.30pm and finishes at 8pm.

 

Anyone who can’t make the event, but wants to know more about fostering should visit the fostering page, or call 01708 434 573