On Wednesday 25 March Havering Council’s elected councillors and some of the Senior Leadership Team held the first of what will be weekly Covid-19 tele-conference briefings. Below is a summary of some of the main points raised –
- The Councils focus must be on the delivery of critical services and the control of Covid-19.
- If we are to control the coronavirus, residents must follow the governments directive of staying at home. This must include children.
- Some services will be reduced or stopped altogether to aid critical services.
- The government have introduced over the telephone registration of deaths.
- Currently the registration of births is still taking place by appointment only. The government may change this.
- Children’s playgrounds, outdoor gyms and tennis courts are out of use.
- Waste collections are still taking place on a weekly basis, however the contractor has been experiencing cases of staff isolation, which has had an impact on the service, with some delays. If a collection is missed or late, please remember these are difficult times, and report the missed collection through to their website.
- All parking enforcement has now been removed from pay and display parking bays, which includes car parks, but enforcement will still take place on yellow and double yellow lines, zig-zags, disabled bays and blind bends on safety grounds.
- The Government has launched a Hardship fund. Havering has been given £1.8m for council tax relief, and for discretionary support for vulnerable people and households through other support arrangements such as local Welfare Schemes. If you think this is you, please contact the Council.
- The Cabinet are currently considering Council Tax schemes to support the vulnerable. Details will be shared once finalised.
- The Council is establishing a logistics hub in the borough.
- The government will be introducing hubs where provisions will be made available to be transported all of those residents that have been identified as high risk Details will be shared as they become available.