Two Tier Parking Penalties

Motorists are being reminded that the country's first city-wide two tier parking penalties scheme based on the seriousness of the contravention committed will be introduced in London from 1 July.

The scheme will mean drivers parking at bus stops, on pedestrian crossings, or in the safety zones outside schools will receive a higher penalty than those overstaying at a parking meter.

A £120 penalty will be applied to serious contraventions in central London, while lesser contraventions will attract a penalty of £80. In outer London the penalty will be £100 and £60. All penalties will be reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 14 days.

This new system will mean that motorists committing some parking contraventions will receive a £20 lower penalty then they currently do.

The introduction of the scheme follows an extensive consultation with the public, motoring organisations and other interested parties carried out last year by London Councils and Transport for London (TfL).

More than 80 per cent of those who responded to the consultation said that acts of illegal parking causing the most disruption, frustration and danger to other road users should be penalised more heavily than others.

Motorists wrongly using bus lanes or committing moving traffic contraventions - including entering a box junction when their exits are blocked and going through a no entry sign - will receive a £120 penalty from 1 July.

Lorry company operators and drivers breaking the London Lorry Control Scheme will also receive £550 and £120 penalties respectively from 1 July.

Friends of Havering Park Meeting

This Thursday (the 21st June) a meeting is being held by the "Friends of Havering Country Park" at the North Romford Community Centre, in Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row at 7.30 pm. If you are interested in what goes on in the park and would like to have a say about its future, then you should turn up.

The meeting has been put together by the Havering Park Safer Neighbourhood Team, under Sgt Andy Barnes and his team of Officers. The aim of a friends group is to bring together like mined residents to support the work in the park and to raise money from external sources, something the Council can not do, unless it is supported by local residents.

It is not run by or organised by Councillors, Friends Groups can only attract outside money if is run by local residents, however any residents that joins the group will have the full support of the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association and our Ward Co-ordinators in making it a success.

I hope to see you at the meeting.

Planet Havering - The show goes on

Despite the rain threatening to wash out the whole day, I made it to Planet Havering yesterday, numbers seemed lower than in previous year, which im sure was down to the rain, however that did not stop the show from going on !

I managed to do a whistle stop tour of the show with my eldest daughter in an hour and a half; we visited all of the marquees and managed to pick up a few goodies to take home, such as pens and pencils and the odd ruler.

The show is a great way of promoting and educating people in recycling and showing the benefits of environmental improvements that we can make to our homes and lives, with some simple changes in our life styles.

A lot of work goes into putting the show together, the staff that organise Planet Havering do a fantastic job, with not a lot of resource. However, I do think that the show suffered in a little way by lack of support from the Administration, it was very late in the day that they agreed to fund the short fall after a major environmental backer pulled out.

The Residents Association made a budget allocation to expand this show from this year, however the Tories voted down our budget, so there was no extra money. We do hope though that they take note from one, our budget and secondly this web site (as I know the Tories read it, how else would they know what goes on in Collier Row) and actually put the proper resource behind the show next year.

Residents Association win the St Andrews Ward By-Election

Hornchurch Residents’ Association candidate Mike Winter has won last Thursdays by-election held in St Andrew’s ward, in Hornchurch, by a massive 400 majority.

Married dad-of-one Mike represented St Andrew’s on Havering Council for a number of years before last years elections and is now welcomed back to continue working for the community.



The poll results are as follows:

Durant (Third Way) 184
Kamal (Lib Dem) 80
Logan (BNP) 580
Murphy (Conservative) 583
Vincent (Labour) 511
Webb (UKIP) 169
Winter (Hornchurch Residents’ Association) 993

Turn-out was low at 29.6%.

Planet Havering Show - this Saturday

This weekend see the ever popular Planet Havering Environmental show.

Come and join in the fun on 16 June. It's designed to promote environmental awareness whilst having fun! We've only got one planet! So let's learn how to care for it! Admission FREE!
It is being held at Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

It will be a chance to learn about protecting our environment and you can get useful tips on how to apply green ideas in your home.

There will be displays and demonstrations about recycling, wildlife, healthy living, travel, energy and heritage.

You can visit the Croissant Neuf Circus and the Green Roadshow or if you're feeling inspired, you can have a go at some arts and crafts. If you're feeling peckish, there will be a yummy selection of food to choose from and plenty of juicy drinks to quench your thirst.

If you are feeling active, you can try some of our energetic activities but if you want to relax, you can sit back and enjoy some music!

There's plenty to keep you amused all day long - and the good news is, that admission is free!!

Its an Honour !

At the Annual meeting of Havering Council held in May, Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association member, Graham Price received an award of Honorary Alderman of the London Borough of Havering. He was presented with a certificate from the new Mayor and is inscribed “In gratitude for the long and eminent service rendered to the people and Borough of Havering” He was nominated for the award by Cllr Andrew Mann and the Residents Group of Councillors. You can only receive the award if you are an ex Councillor and should have served a minimum term of 16 years.

On receiving the award Graham said “This is an award that I greatly appreciate, indeed so does my family. I am grateful to members of the Council for conferring it upon me and to the Residents Group for nominating me. My public life in Havering began way back in 1974, when the Council appointed me as a member of the old Romford Area Youth Service Consultative Committee and I was also appointed as a school governor for the first time.

I served as a Councillor for the first time from 1978 to 1990 and then again from 2002 to 2006. During those 16 years, I served on various Council committees, in particular Health and Housing. I was also involved with the London Accident Prevention Council. Although, no longer a Councillor, I still continue to serve as a Governor on both Crownfield Infant and Junior schools”.

There are only eight Honorary Freeman of the Borough, five were created last year, the two others were appointed with Graham and are sitting members of Parliament in Havering, and were both Councillors for a total of sixteen years between them, which Graham did on his own !

Blog Update

Its been a few weeks since i have posted any new stories, lts of reasons for this, which i shall list in no particular order,

I.T issues with my p.c not allowing cookies, which blogger needs to work.

Have been busy in the Town Hall, in particular with the Car Park campaign

Have been putting together our next news letter which will be out shortly, with an increased size of 16 pages of local news.

Anyhow, come back over the weekend as i attempt to upload a few of the things that have been going on over the last few weeks. Today is also our monthly residents drop in surgery, so will be meeting people later to discuss issues and concerns.

Andy