Fire at Frog Island

Rubbish collections following the fire at Frog Island

Tuesday 05 August 2014

Following the fire yesterday (4 August) at Frog Island waste management plant in Rainham, some residents’ rubbish was not collected.

Our crews are working hard to clear the backlog today. Below is a list of all the roads in the borough that had their rubbish missed yesterday. If your road was due a collection yesterday but was missed and is not on the list, please report this to us online here.

 

We are currently taking waste to Jenkins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre in Newham, which adds some time to the drop off and may cause a delay, however, we have extra crews out so that collections due today should take place as normal.

 

Please bear with us and thank you for your patience.

 

Monday 4 August missed collections:

 

OAK STREET
EASTERN AVENUE EAST
PARKSIDE AVENUE
FONTAYNE ROAD
PETITS LANE
OAKLANDS AVENUE
CAXTEN WAY
DICKENS WAY
SYDENHAM CLOSE
PARKLAND AVENUE
LAKE RISE
RAPHAEL AVENUE
WAYSIDE CLOSE
SORRELL WALK
ROSEMARY AVENUE
WOODLAND ROAD
FAIROAK GARDENS
PRIESTS AVENUE
ASHMOUR GARDENS
HAMILTON AVENUE
HEATHER ROAD
HEATHER WAY
HEATHER DRIVE
HEATHER GLEN
HEATHER GARDENS
AYR WAY
ANNAN WAY
AYR GREEN
DEVERON WAY
WEMBLEY CLOSE
ONE SIDE STRAIGHT ROAD
MORAY WAY
AYR GLEN
AYR WAY
BAMFORD WAY
NAVARRE GARDENS
LODGE LANE
HOG HILL
UDALL GARDENS
FRY CLOSE
DEFOE WAY
SHERBOURNE GARDENS
BERKLEY AVENUE
LAWNSWAY
WILTON DRIVE
FAIRCROSS AVENUE
THE DRIVE
JUDITH AVENUE
SHEILA CLOSE
SHEILA ROAD
EATON DRIVE
GELSTHORPE ROAD
LYNWOOD DRIVE
BIRCH ROAD
BIRCH CLOSE
FOREST ROAD
SILVER WAY
EPPING CLOSE
ESSEX ROAD
BURLEIGH CLOSE
ESSEX CLOSE
GRANGE ROAD
HEATON WALK
CHAUCER ROAD
MEYNELL ROAD
COWLEY ROAD
ARCHWAY
HARROW CRESCENT

Havering Remembers

A time for reflection – As the all-important date of 4 August approaches, marking 100 years since Britain officially entered World War One, Havering Council is reminding people about all the things happening as part of the commemorations in the borough.

​Many organisations, including the Council, schools, voluntary organisations, and community groups, have activities and events planned to remember and honour those who lived, fought and died during WW1.

Councillor Melvin Wallace, Cabinet Member for Culture and Community Engagement, said:

 

“The impact of World War One can be felt by all of us in some way, and the centenary gives us the perfect opportunity to join together as a community and remember all those who lived and served through the war.

 

“There are lots of wonderful events and activities that have been arranged and I hope that all of us, young and old, can take part and just reflect on the people, their lives and the events that changed them, and history, forever.”

 

The Council has produced a booklet detailing all the events, exhibitions and activities taking place over the next year to mark the centenary, which is available on the Council website or at the Visitor Centre on South Street in Romford, in all libraries and at Havering Museum.

 

Here are a few of the things coming up very soon.

 

Civic Service

As part of the commemorations a special multi-faith Civic Service will be held at St Edward the Confessor Church in Romford Market Place at 7:30pm on Monday 4 August. The Service, which is open to everyone, will mark the outbreak of a war, which had such a tragic impact on individuals, communities and nations across the world.

 

LIGHTS OUT

In 1914, Sir Edward Grey, the Foreign Secretary at the time spoke the words “The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.”

 

As part of the national LIGHTS OUT campaign, everyone in the country is being encouraged to take part in a national moment of reflection on 4 August, by turning off their lights between 10pm and 11pm – leaving just one single light or candle burning.

 

“Even the smallest of actions can have such a profound meaning, and we want to join together for this time of reflection,” said Councillor Melvin Wallace, Cabinet Member for Culture and Community Engagement.

 

Havering’s Town Hall, libraries and Upminster Windmill are just some of the buildings in the borough that will be turning their LIGHTS OUT. Residents are also invited to do the same.

 

Remembering with Poppies

The Council has planted poppies across the borough in honour of those who lived and died through the war. They can be seen at:

 

-King George Playing Fields along Eastern Avenue, The Town Hall and Coronation Gardens, outside Harrow Lodge Park, outside Upminster Hall, Harold Hill War Memorial, Elm Park Broadway and the Waterloo estate in Romford.

 

Visit one of the restored War Memorials

The Council has recently restored its main war memorials in Harold Hill, Upminster, Romford and Hornchurch, while the restoration of the Rainham memorial is almost complete.

 

Last November the Council announced it had received £86,200 for the work from Veolia North Thames Trust.

 

The restoration has included repair and maintenance such as carefully cleaning the memorials, repainting, repairing and paving cracked stone, and redoing brickwork where necessary.

Cattle in Our Parks

Greenest borough adopts cattle to take care of its grass

​The new arrivals at Bedfords Park help manage species-rich meadows

Havering is one of the first London councils to call in a team of expert grazers to take over from the traditional grass and hay cut techniques as part of an innovative scheme to boost biodiversity in the borough’s public parks.

A rare and traditional breed of Red Poll cattle, native of East Anglia, have been called in to help manage the species-rich meadows at Bedfords Park - home to many protected plant, insect and bird species, including wildflowers such as Lady’s bedstraw, sneezewort, pepper saxifrage and pignut.

While the traditional hay or grass cut involves a more even and tidy cut, cattle are able to choose where they graze, which creates patches within the meadows of varying height and density and reduces the build-up of old vegetation. This allows different grasses and wildflowers to flourish. Grazing is also more sensitive to other animals that live in the grassland such as mice, voles, amphibians and reptiles.

Red Poll cattle are one of the best breeds for grazing meadows like the ones at Bedfords Park, they thrive in a diverse environment and are unaffected by the weather. They also have a gentle temperament and no horns, so they’re ideal for grazing in places like public parks.

Bedfords Park is known to be one of the best areas in Greater London and Essex for the diversity of its wildflowers. The wildflower meadow alone has had a staggering 155 species recorded in it. It’s great for other wildlife too, including ponds with protected great crested newts, woodlands with trees such as wild service, oak and hornbeam and other species such as tawny owls, bats and barn owls.

“Around half the borough is made up of parks and green spaces, so we’re always trying to stay at the forefront when it comes to using new ways to help improve biodiversity and protect our wildlife,” said Councillor Melvin Wallace, Cabinet Member for Culture and Community Engagement.

“We’re delighted to work with Natural England to implement this innovative scheme in Havering, and there are so many benefits. It will help combat the decline in the borough’s butterflies and bees while also protecting wildlife that can sometimes become victims of lawnmowers, and also save money. At a time where we’re trying to save £60 million over four years, every penny counts!” added Cllr Wallace.

The cattle belong to Roger Beecroft, a specialist grazier and wildlife consultant whose herd grazes many wildlife sites across East Anglia. “I’m really pleased to work with Havering Council to help achieve their aims of the site, and our Red Poll cattle will thrive in these wild flower meadows” said Roger.

The Council is working with Natural England to implement this scheme, which will see grazing cattle at four of the borough’s parks over ten years. The cattle will be based at Bedfords Park and also in Havering Country Park in future years.

Implementing grazing is all part of a 10-year Higher Level Stewardship agreement which has been set up with Natural England, the the government’s advisor on the natural environment. The Higher Level Stewardship agreement provides a framework for carrying out long-term environmentally friendly land management backed up by financial incentive to help landowners manage their land in a way that’s beneficial to wildlife and the landscape. The Council has worked with Natural England to create a package of Stewardship options that will benefit Bedfords Park ranging from management of species rich grassland to management of woodlands, ponds and hedgerows. The new scheme, which began last year, is supported by funding of almost £407,000 over the 10-year programme while Veolia North Thames Trust has given a further £30,000 in support of the initiative.

The cattle won’t replace staff, but will allow them to focus their efforts in other areas. The scheme is estimated to save the Council around £300,000 over ten years in management costs.

Emily Dresner of Natural England’s Thames Valley team said: “Natural England is delighted that Havering Council has signed up to a Higher Level Stewardship agreement.  The introduction of grazing at Bedfords Park is a great example of how we can work together to introduce traditional methods of land management in our city.  This kind of work provides a great opportunity to plan and deliver large scale landscape improvements that help improve both our wildlife and people’s access to nature across London’s green spaces. We look forward to working with Havering Council to ensure we maximise the benefits that Higher Level Stewardship can offer for the borough.”

Green Flags

Another Green Flag for Havering Havering Council can add another pip to its ‘best parks’ credentials after securing another prestigious accolade – bringing its total to nine Green Flag Parks. The Council has not only maintained its status as having some of the best parks in country, but exceeded it, gaining an extra Green Flag for the recently restored Raphael Park. The Green Flag Award is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the United Kingdom.

New waste contract sees rubbish and recycling collected together – but kept apart

​The new-look waste collection vehicles

Collected together, kept apart – that’s how the new recycling and waste collection service, which launches on Monday 4 August, is operating.

​Serco will take over the waste collection contract in Havering, which will see a new fleet of lorries collecting household waste and recycling.

The new vehicles will have the back divided so orange sacks and black sacks can be collected at the same time, but kept apart and still be sorted separately at the waste management facility. In addition, because only one modern lorry will be used on each route, CO2 emissions will be reduced helping the environment and also keeping Council costs down.

The vehicles will also be safer for cyclists with illuminated warning signs on the rear of each vehicle showing cyclists when it is safe or not safe to undertake, and also an audible warning when vehicles are turning left.

Residents will continue to benefit from a weekly collection service. Collection days for homes have stayed the same but due to the change in the way the Council is collecting, times will change. To ensure rubbish and recycling is collected, residents are being advised to place their sacks on the boundary of their property by 7am.

More details about the service can be found on the New Rubbish and recycling collection service p​age.

Collection days for residents with garden waste will not change but it’s likely the collection times will, so residents should have their wheeled bin ready for collection at 7am.

There’s also a special compartment underneath the lorry so residents can now leave household batteries out for recycling alongside their normal waste.

The introduction of a new doorstep collections service for textiles and small electrical appliances will also be introduced within the next 18 months.

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

“Having just one modern vehicle doing both jobs cuts fuel and other costs, but there are also a whole host of other benefits to the new contract that allows residents to recycle more, and in a more convenient way.”

Mike Boult, Managing Director at Serco, said:

“We are delighted that Havering Council has selected Serco to deliver its waste and recycling services to local residents. Our track record in delivering these vital community services around the country and in particular in London, has helped us to understand and prioritise the needs of the local community. We look forward to working together with the Council to deliver an outstanding service.

The new contract will last for seven years with the option to extend for a further three years and is Serco’s fifth in London. It will see the company delivering waste collection services to more than one million residents across the capital every week.

To find out more, residents can come along to one of the following recycling road-shows:​

Friday 25 July, 10am-3pm - Hornchurch Library
Thursday 31 July, 12pm-5pm – Tesco, Rainham
Friday 1 Aug. 10-3pm - Tesco, Gallows Corner
Tuesday 5 August 12pm-5pm – Tesco, Rainham
Thursday 7 August 10am-3pm –The Mercury, Romford
Wednesday 13 August 12am-5pm - Hornchurch Library
Wednesday 20 August, 10am to 3pm –The Mercury, Romford 
Thursday 4 September, 10am to 3pm –The Mercury, Romford 
Wednesday 17 September, 12pm to 5pm - Hornchurch library 
Friday 19 September, 10am to 3pm –The Mercury, Romford
Monday 29 September, 10am-3pm – Tesco, Gallows Corner​

 

Havering Council seeks chair for Safer Neighbourhood Board

​Havering Council is looking for someone with a background in crime prevention and knowledge of policing to chair the Safer Neighbourhood Board.

​To be successful, the chair must have good communication and listening skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Relevant experience of chairing meetings, or acting as an independent layperson, would also be an advantage.

The role will involve chairing, directing and managing a large meeting of community representatives and voluntary organisations on a quarterly basis.

Safer Neighbourhood Boards (SNBs) are the means by which the Mayor of London(through the Deputy Mayor and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime) holds Borough Police Command Units to account for performance, giving Havering residents and organisations representing victims of crime a greater voice in setting policing priorities.

The Safer Neighbourhood Board sits alongside existing performance management arrangements with the Havering Community Safety Partnership, and scrutiny arrangements through Havering’s Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair will direct the work of the Board, ensuring this reflects the objectives set out by the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)​​.

Councillor Osman Dervish, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said:

“This is a great opportunity for a local person with a background or interest in crime prevention to help make a difference in our local community. It is a rewarding role and there are some interesting challenges ahead for the right person.”

Around the world in four Romford shopping centres and the market

​The sun is here, schools have broken up and everyone's mind is turning to holidays and getting away from it all.

​And while sunshine in not guaranteed - families visiting Romford from this weekend can travel the world, enjoying a range of different cultures and entertainment, as well as the chance to win prizes and get their special passports stamped, without ever having to step outside Romford.

 

Around the World in Romford takes off this Friday (25 July), with the African Showcase Market visiting the Market Place, and runs until Sunday 3 August.

Children collect their special passport from any of the four shopping centres; theMercury​, the Liberty, the Shopping Hall and the Brewery​, and then collect their stamps from each of the centres as they make their way around.

 

Each of the participating shopping centres will be hosting events and activities to mark the country or continent they are representing as part of the event.

 

This Friday (25 July) the African Showcase Market will include arts and crafts, textiles, food, jewellery, clothes and books and games, all celebrating Africa. Families can learn more about the country at educational workshops, and there will be African drum playing, bead making and interactive games workshops throughout the day.

 

Romford Shopping Hall will be celebrating China with free fortune cookies available at Pearl of the Orient on Monday (28 July) and face painting from 12 to 2pm daily for children taking part in the event.

 

On Sunday (3 August), the hall will also host performances from Chinese lion dancers every hour between 11am and 3pm.

 

North America is the continent being celebrated by the Brewery with food tasting at Frankie and Benny’s including ice cream, hot dogs and garlic bread on Thursday (31 July).

 

The Mercury will be marking European culture with a 30th anniversary village fete to mark the St Francis Hospice milestone on Wednesday (30 July), a charity cyclathon celebrating the Tour de France, including Punch and Judy performances, on Friday (1 August) and Wii game events throughout the week.

Lastly, the Liberty will be celebrating South America, recreating memories of the recent World Cup with Brazilian food tasting at Braza, resistance sliding so children can slide their way across the continent throughout the week, and from Friday (July 25) to Sunday (July 27), Soft Play Essex​ will be celebrating South America-themed arts and crafts.

 

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

 

“This is a fantastic way for children to learn a little more about culture in other countries while having lots of fun.

 

“It will be a great activity for all the family and I’m sure lots of children will enjoy getting all four stamps to complete their special passports. What a great start to the summer in Havering. It is even more fitting that this is taking place as the Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow, showing the importance of learning about other cultures, and bringing people together in celebration of that.”

 

Notes:

 

The first 500 completed passports will receive a free gift.

 

Everyone who completes a passport will be entered into a prize draw to win from the following prizes:

 

The Mercury
Cinema tickets including popcorn and drinks for four and a fragrance from the Fragrance Shop

 

The Brewery
A meal up to the value of £100 at Frankie and Benny’s

 

The Shopping Hall
Lunch for two at Sunrise Café

 

The Liberty
£50 gift card and giant Millie’s cookie

 

The Market
Food hamper

 

Face painting at the Shopping Hall costs £2 per child.

 

The Shopping Hall in now open Sundays from 10am to 4pm.