Dartford River Crossing

Despite calls to scrap the Dartford Crossing Toll and allow vehicles to move freely across the river, the Government now propose to increase the standard charge from £1.00 to £1.50 later this year.

The charge was introduced in 1963 and was designed to pay for the construction costs of the tunnels and latterly the bridge. These costs were finally paid off in 2002 and the legal authority to charge a toll expired in April 2003. However, the Government decided to continue the toll under the guise of a congestion charge, thereby retaining a net annual revenue of some £50m.

Now R.A Councillor, Clarence Barrett has created a petition to the Prime Minister which calls for the toll to be scrapped, as soon as is practicable, on the following grounds:

a) The congestion, which can stretch for many miles on either side of the crossing, is largely due to the effect of the tollbooths themselves.

b) The exhaust fumes generated by thousands of cars waiting in line causes unnecessary environmental damage.

c) The delays add unnecessary expense to business and transport costs.

If you are interested in this perhaps you could support/pass on, etc or sign the petition.

The petition can be signed by visiting

http://www.haveringra.org.uk/ or

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/dartxx

Clocks Go Forward tonight

Don’t forget to move your clocks forward by one hour tonight, Saturday 29th March 2008, as at (01.00) Sunday it is officially the start of British Summer Time.

We may be losing an hour but with extra daylight in the evenings and a long summer ahead, there’s plenty to look forward to after the clocks change, we hope !!

The clocks go back on the last Sunday of October (the 26th), remember Spring - Forward, Fall - Back

For more information about the history of daylight saving, follow the link below at the National Maritime Museum.

www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.344

Bower Park performs "Annie"

Cllr Mann was in the audience tonight, for Bower Park Schools production of Annie, this was the final night of the show and the school was packed out with hundreds of parents, pupils, friends and family, along with a few school Governors.

Many weeks and months of hard work by staff and pupils went into this show, following the success of Oliver last year and Bugsy Malone, the year before I was wondering how the school could improve on previous shows, but they did. The commitment by all was 100%.

I am pleased to say that next years show has already been confirmed and I for one am over the moon as after many months of hassling the Performing arts Department, next years show will be We will Rock You", as a Queen fan I can not wait, having seen the show in the West End a few times myself, i am very pleased that it will be coming to Bower Park next year.

Spring Newsletter now being delivered

The Spring Issue of the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association newsletter is now being delivered across North Romford and Havering-AtteBower. Almost 11,000 are delivered four times a year to every home, shop, church and business across both Havering Park & Mawneys Ward.

Stories of interest in this issue, include, our campaign to save Gobions Avenue Post Office, updates on the Forest Row Centre opening, the CCTV Car, Planning Issues and our regular Price is Right Column.

Happy Easter

Earlier this week, it was the first official day of Spring ! So with maybe a few spring showers to look forward to over the next month, things were looking Good. Its also Easter Weekend and a Bank Holiday, so what else could you expect in the Weather front.

Snow of course, with the Spring Daffodils still in bloom in the garden, what better to complement the blooms and to celebrate the new season than a snow shower !

Gobions Avenue Post Office Campaign

Over 30 local residents braved the hail stones and wind today to show their support against the closure of Gobions avenue Post Office. The weather was not kind, but all six of your Residents Association Action Members were out in force with the local residents, who were all 100% behind the campaign to stop the closure of this much needed local Post Office.

We have been contacted by hundreds of residents who are totally outraged by the decision of this Government and Post Office Ltd in closing this branch, Sunny Patel has been in Gobions Avenue for 25 years and does an excellent service to the local community, both Sunny and his staff take the trouble to help and serve all, from young to old and disabled to able, everyone is welcome in his shop.

To allow for the time in the post, there is now just over a week left until the consultation period ends, your letter must be received by the 2nd April, and Cllr Andy Mann is urging anyone that has not already done so, to write and object with your own reasons as to why the Post Office should stay open, before it is to late.

He said “We all need to send a clear message to the Post Office that we are all against this closure, a lot of people will lose out if it closes, the distance to the nearest Post Office in North Street, Romford, or Collier Row Main Post Office are to far away and Gobions Avenue should stay open”.

If you have not yet written, the details are below, please send a copy of your letter to Cllr Mann at 380 Havering Road, Collier Row, Romford, Essex, Rm1 4DE.

Anita Turner
Network Development Manager
C/O National Consultation Team
FREEPOST Consultation Team
No Stamp is Needed

Gooshays By-Election

Yesterday was the Gooshays by-election, the first time in election history that an election has been held on Maundy Thursday in the U.K following a change of rules to allow it last year.

The election was called following the resignation of the BNP Councillor Alan Bailey, the result in the 2006 election was very close, with BNP taking top slot and two conservatives taking second and third, but that was following a flip of a coin to decide if Labour or Conservative would win the last seat, it was the Conservatives that night.

But night last night, the seat was won by the BNP, with the Conservative vote collapsing to 489, that was almost 400 votes behind.

Votes cast for Gooshays at the March 2008 by-election

Yve Cornell The Labour Party Candidate 741
David Warren Durant National Liberal Party 62
Malcolm George Fox The Conservative Party Candidate 489
Mark James Logan British National Party 865 Elected
Ian Victor Sanderson Liberal Democrats 52
Lawrence James Webb UK Independence Party 70

Percentage turnout : 22.6%

Easter Refuse & Recycling Collections

Your refuse and recycling collection dates will change over the Easter holiday.

Please see below for the revised collection days:

Good Friday - 21st March, will be collected on Saturday 22nd March
Easter Monday - 24th March, will be collected on Tuesday 25th March
Tuesday 25th March, - will be collected on Wednesday 26th March
Wednesday 26th March, - will be collected on Thursday 27th March
Thursday 27th March, - will be collected on Friday 28th March
Friday 28th March, - will be collected on Saturday 29th March

Garden Waste Collection Dates over Easter

The only collection date affected by Easter is Friday 21st March. Collections will change to Saturday 22nd March. All other collections will remain the same.

Good Friday - 21st March, will be collected on Saturday 22nd March
Easter Monday - 24th March. No Green Waste Collected this day
Tuesday 25th March onwards, as normal

Gerpins Lane Easter Opening Times

Gerpins Lane opening times are as normal; 0730 - 1745 daily.

Gobions Post Office Campaign Continues

The Post Office campaign continues, both locally and at Parliament yesterday, with a motion put down to halt the closure plan, the Government only just won the vote with over 20 Labour M.P’s voting against the Government.

It is a shame that more did not stick to their principles and vote how there residents wished, lots of the M.P’s have been out in there constituency’s campaigning, yet when the vote comes they follow the whip and do as they are told.

In respect of Gobions Avenue Post Office, we have had hundreds of our petition letters returned to Cllr Mann, the response has been tremendous, with lots of residents copying us into the response back to Post Office Ltd.

The final date for letters to be received is the 2nd April, so if you have not written and objected yet, please do so as soon as you can, we have to all try and send a message to the Government and Post Office Ltd that the closure of our Post Office would have a devastating affect on our community and local area.

Please write to:

Anita Turner
Network Development Manager
C/O National Consultation Team
FREEPOST Consultation Team

No Stamp is Needed

Drop In Surgery, this Saturday

Our latest Residents drop in surgery is being held this Saturday, the 15th March at our usual location of the Forest Row Centre in Lodge Lane, Collier Row, between 10.00 and 11.00, all you have to do is drop in, no need for an appointment.

Our Residents Association Councillor for Havering Park, Andrew Mann will be on hand along with Denis Stevens and Mawneys team Graham Price and Joe Webster to help with any issues you may have about havering Council, such as Housing, StreetCare, Council Tax, Education or any other matter that you may need help with.

If you can not make the surgery, you can always phone us for an appointment at a different time or drop us an e-mail or letter, contact details on the right hand column.

Angry of Havering Webs Site Launched

Following the Residents Associations high profile campaign to highlight the wrongs of the Conservative Councils CCTV Smart Car, local residents and business people have got together and launched a web site to help increase the profile of this issue.

The site www.angryofhavering.com has only been up for less than two weeks and it has already had a massive 2000 plus hits, which we have to say is very impressive, that is even more hits than our own site.

Cllr Mann has been helping residents and shop keepers in the Collier Row area for over six months on this issue, he has been inundated with people contacting him about the car and how the tickets have been issued.

All of this has been reported to Council officers and printed in the local press, however what do our Conservative Councillors do ?

Nothing, they tried to kick a review of the car into the long grass last week, after Cllr Mann moved a motion at a Environment Scrutiny meeting in the Town Hall.

There are some interesting views and pictures on the web site, take a look at www.angryofhavering.com the picture in the "Highway Robbery" section is interesting !

Dont lose your vote

A giant ballot cross will be in Havering this week as part of a London wide campaign to encourage residents to join the electoral register.

Mark, an unmissable pink X-shaped figure, will be in the borough to raise awareness of the election for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly which takes place on 1 May. His simple message is register to vote by 16 April if you want to make your mark on the next four years.

Staff will be on hand to provide residents with key information. He will be in Romford Market on Saturday 15 March at 3pm.

Voter registration forms can be downloaded from http://www.londonelects.org.uk/

For more information on voting in the borough, residents can call 432445 or visit www.havering.gov.uk/elections.

CCTV Car under Scrutiny

Last night saw the Environment Overview & Scrutiny meeting at Havering Town Hall, approx 30 local residents had turned up to see what happened in relation to the CCTV smart Car, that was to be discussed at the meeting.

The whole meeting to be honest was a joke; the Conservative Members (there were four of them) attempted to kick the whole thing into the long grass and refused to discuss it, by suggesting that they need a report on the subject first, what nonsense, you hardly need a report as the thing has been in the press almost on a weekly basis for months now.

It was a shame that the Chairman (Tory, Cllr Binion) refused to allow any member of the public to speak, I know they are not allowed unless the Chairman allows them, however I think there would have been no harm in letting a few people speak.

Myself and Cllr Ray Morgon (R.A Cllr for Hacton ward) attempted to move the discussion on and were eventually successful in getting the committee to agree to our motion to review the CCTV smart car, however as of yet, we have not agreed the reviews groups make-up or its terms of reference. Just as soon as more is known on this issue, we will post it on the web site.

Post Office Closure Campaign Continues

Since Post Office Ltd announced its plans to close five Post Offices across Havering, including our own Gobions Avenue branch in Chase Cross, your Residents Association has been working tirelessly to make sure as many people as possible know about the consultation and encouraging them to write in and object.

We have delivered thousands of leaflets across Chase Cross and Collier Row and we have been inundated with replies from residents who wish to be added to our petition, we have also been sent dozens of copies of letters that people have written.

The Residents Association in Collier Row has vowed to fight this closure programme to the bitter end, the Havering Park Action Team led by Cllr Andrew Mann and working with team members Denis Stevens and Kevin Tonks (pictured recently outside the shop) to work with residents to fight the closure plan.

Cllr Mann has also urged all local residents to write in during the consultation, petitions are great for gaining lots of numbers and looking good, but individual letters will have a far greater impact on the process, you should write to;

Anita Turner
Network Development Manager
C/O National Consultation Team
FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM
No stamp is needed.

You only have 6 weeks to write, all letters must be received by 2nd April. Please copy in Cllr Mann on your letters, you can send a copy via the Town Hall, or 380 Havering Road, Romford, Essex, RM1 4DE

Police Mounted Branch in Park

The fight against anti-social behaviour has stepped up a gear this week, with the Metropolitan Police Mounted section operating in the park. Two officers on horses have been patrolling the park with the Havering Park Safer Neighbourhood Team this week.

Cllr Andrew Mann said “The extra resource that has been made available to the local SNT is great news for local residents and park users, those irresponsible people that use our parks for the wrong reason need to be caught and taken to task for what they are doing”

The Friends of Havering Country Park has been doing a great job, working with the Police and local Council, Cllr Mann has also been attending the groups meetings over the last few months, if anyone is interested in getting involved, just drop us a line and we will pass on your details.

Council Tax Meeting

The Residents Association group’s budget was voted down by the Conservative Administration, last Wednesday, which is a shame as we aimed to reduce the Council Tax rise and implement improved services for North Romford.

The proposal, would have seen a reduction in the increase from the Conservative Administration’s 3.5% to only 3.3%, however the main themes of our budget would have seen;

= Reinstate free car parking in our out of town shopping centres.
= Scrap Sunday charging across Romford.
= Bring back free parking for the disabled.
= Increase road sweeping and staffing in our Parks.
= Re-Instate the School Uniform Grant.
= A second Park Ranger in Havering Country Park

These would have been funded by the reduction in the frequency of the Council’s Living Magazine, efficiency gains on furniture and equipment, cutting the Council publicity budget and a reduction in Councillors special responsibility allowances.

Cllr Andrew Mann said “Our proposals to scrap the parking charges in out of town car parks is in direct response to the many thousands of local people who have expressed their objections to it. Whilst the Administration has not listened to residents, we have. We would also have scrapped the charge for disabled drivers”.

Our proposal to increase funding in our parks is also in response to residents wishes, in particular in Havering Country Park, where we only have one park ranger and desperately need another.

CCTV Car Review

Following a question from Cllr Mann to the Chairman of the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the last Council meeting, the chair has agreed to consider a review into the use of the car.

The issue was raised following hundreds of complaints to Residents Association Councillors about how the car was issuing tickets, from people being pictured with one foot hanging out of the door, to disabled drivers being wrongly issued tickets.

Recently the Council supplied information to Cllr Mann outlining the top ten locations for tickets across the Borough, with over 9% of the total tickets being issued in Atlanta Boulevard alone. See story below.

The Environment Overview & Scrutiny meeting is being held at Havering Town Hall on Thursday 6th March at 7.30pm, although this is a public meeting that anyone can attend, it is up to the Chairman if you can speak. So its over to Cllr Binion on that one !!