The Corps needs your vote

The Romford Drum and Trumpet Corps could be the winners of £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund with your help!

Following applications from over 800 bodies in the London Region for the Peoples Millions, the Corps are in a final head-to-head with a Hackney music club to win the cash which would be used to establish a permanent home.

The band has been going for 52 years and has played in front of world wide audiences, at the FA Cup Final and performed to Heads of State

Voting begins at 9am on Monday and lasts until midnight. The number to call will be advertised on Monday at http://www.peoplesmillions.org.uk/.

THE CORPS NEED YOUR VOTE !

Over £1,000 raised for St Francis Hospice

Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association members, Cllr Andy Mann and Kevin Tonks, took part in a charity sponsored abseil back in September and two months later the amount raised has been announced.

Andy and Kevin dropped down the 120 foot YMCA building, at Roneo Corner, in aid of St Francis Hospice, who are based in Havering-Atte-Bower. The hospice offers specialist care to patients who have cancer or other life-limiting illnesses. It costs over £6.5 million every year to run the service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can care for more than 1,600 patients and their families each year.

Including Gift Aid contributions, Cllr Andy Mann & Kevin Tonks, raised over £1,017 in much needed funds for St Francis Hospice, which they recently handed over to staff nurse Ann Macleod at the Hospice.

Cllr Mann said “We both enjoyed ourselves taking part in the abseil, its great to be able to raise money and enjoy what you are doing at the same time. It’s a long way down from the top of the building with some fantastic views across Romford, but we were both glad to be back on firmer ground, with over £1000 for St Francis Hospice”.

Update on 177 - 179 Mawney Road

Update on Planning Application no. P0986.09 in respect of 177-179, Mawney Road

Over fifty Mawneys Ward residents were in attendance at the Town Hall this week, for the Regulatory Services Committee. They were supported by Graham Price, of the Mawneys Action Team.

The application, to provide a residential care home for twelve residents with learning and or physical disabilities who would require constant supervision, had attracted fierce opposition from Mawneys residents. Over 200 had signed a petition, and there had in addition been 163 letters of objection sent in.

Last week, Graham Price had downloaded the committee report and delivered a hard copy to a local resident who had called a meeting of objectors the weekend before the Regulatory Services meeting to discuss it. Immediately prior to the meeting in The Town Hall, Graham Price spoke at length to Mr Andy Green, a local resident who would be making a two-minute speech as the lead objector on behalf of all the other residents who had objected.

Whilst the officers’ recommendation was to refuse the application, when the item was reached, a brief debate ensued as to whether there was a perceived need for the residential care home. Cllr Misir (Tory, Mawneys Ward) received rapturous applause when he suddenly moved the recommendation for refusal, but he rather spoilt the effect of this, when he appeared to second a supplementary motion from Cllr Tebbutt to defer a decision on the application until a later date, so that a stronger case for refusal could be established. Undoubtedly, many of the local residents present were thoroughly mystified and disappointed, and possibly angered, by this confused development.

Graham Price said after the meeting “In the event, I think that the decision made for deferral was a correct one. I had expressed my view to some of the residents, which was that the report seemed to be unbalanced. Several pages were taken up explaining how the proposal met every criteria and all the policies laid down. And then right at the end there was the recommendation for refusal, on grounds that seemed to be very thin and lightweight. The fear that I had was that a straight refusal on the night, for the reasons stated, could quite probably have led to the refusal being overturned on appeal.”

Further Bus Strikes

Further Industrial action is expected to take place from 0300 Friday 20 November until 0300 Sunday 22 November, with all of the listed routes subject to possible withdrawal or reduction of service.

Core Routes: 5 8 15 (including Routemaster Heritage service) 25 26 30 48 55 56 62 69 86 97 101 103 104 106 115 145 147 158 169 175 205 230 238 241 247 257 262 276 277 287 294 296 300 325 330 366 369 376 387 396 473 496 D3.

School Routes: 608 647 674 678 687.

Night Routes: N8 N15 N26 N55 N86 N550, which will operate throughout Thursday night/Friday morning, but will be affected on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning.

For further information and updates please go to:http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

The Village Stocks & Whipping Post

The Stocks and Whipping Post on Havering Village Green have recently been temporally removed to carry out repair and conservation works.

The proposed works to be carried out have been agreed with English Heritage. The works will involve repairing the Whipping Post and the end post for the stocks, refurbishing the ironwork and installing small timber props to the end posts (that previously existed and were shown on the old photographs).

It is hoped the work will not take to long and will be back as soon as possible.

Bus Strikes - Monday 9th November

Industrial action affecting local bus services run the the East London Bus Group is expected to take place from 3am on Monday 9 until 3am on Tuesday 10 November.

All routes below are subject to possible withdrawal or reduction of service:

Routes 5 8 15 (including Routemaster Heritage service) 25 26 30 48 55 56 62 69 86 97 101 103 104 106 115 145 147 158 169 175 205 230 238 241 247 257 262 276 277 287 294 296 300 325 330 366 369 376 387 396 473 496 D3.

School Routes: 608 647 674 678 687 (although it is hoped that these routes will operate).

Night Routes: N8 N15 N26 N55 N86 N550. These will operate throughout Sunday night/Monday morning, but may be affected by the action throughout Monday night/Tuesday morning.

For more information and updates please go to the Transport for London website

Havering Remembers

Cllr Andy Mann, Kevin Tonks, Denis Stevens and Joe Webster attended the Havering Remembrance Service this morning at the Coronation Gardens in Main Road, Romford.

Service to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives or suffered during the two World Wars and in conflicts since were held throughout Havering on Remembrance Sunday.

The Service started at 10.55am and was conducted by Reverend Stephen Waine, Vicar of St Edward's Church. Musical accompaniment was provided by the Romford Salvation Army Band.

Along with ourselves, the service was attended by The Mayor of Havering; The Deputy Lieutenant of Havering, Air Commodore Brian Batt; The Member of Parliament for Romford, Andrew Rosindell; Chief Inspector John Harlow, on behalf of the Havering Borough Commander of Police; Councillors and representatives of local uniformed and civilian organisations.

After the Service there was a parade and march-past by veterans and uniformed organisations with music from the Royal British Legion Band. The salute was taken by The Mayor and the Deputy Lieutenant.

On Armistice Day, Wednesday the 11th November, the Mayor will attend the Armistice Day Service organised by the Royal Naval Association and the Royal British Legion. This will be held at the western end of Romford Market Place between the Lloyds TSB and Co-op banks starting at 10.45am.

Fireworks Night on its way

Havering Council, Havering Police and the London Fire Brigade have launched a crackdown to prevent the sale of fireworks to under-18s. They will be making visits to remind retailers that it's illegal to sell fireworks without the necessary licence from Trading Standards.Havering Trading Standards takes a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of the stringent conditions governing the storage and sale of fireworks, which will result in legal proceedings and the confiscation of such products.

Though current legislation allows some businesses with special authorisation to sell fireworks all year round, most fireworks can only be sold between October 15 and November 9. It is illegal to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, though on special occasions like Bonfire Night they may be set off up until midnight, unless special permission for them to continue until 1am has been granted.

It is also an offence for anyone under 18 to possess fireworks in a public place. Using fireworks in an anti-social way is irresponsible, dangerous and unacceptable, so Havering Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams will be operating additional patrols throughout the borough at this time.Remember; fireworks are mini-explosives dressed up in colourful packaging – they are NOT toys. Most injuries caused by fireworks happen to children under 16, with many of them ending up with burn scars for life.

So please take care this bonfire night. Go to http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/Fireworks.asp for helpful safety advice from the London Fire Brigade.If you wish to report illegal sales of fireworks, you can call a special hotline 01708 433428 in confidence.

Romford Christmas Lights Switch On

Bob the Builder will be at the Romford Christmas Lights Switch-on, in Romford Market Place on the 12th November and will be doing the honours by turning on the lights.

There will be a packed schedule of fun, which starts at 4.30pm and runs until 6.30pm, with something for everyone. Entry is free. Among the entertainment will be the Kryptic Fusion Dance Crew, Lydia White and the winners of the recent Havering battle of the bands, Kid Neon.

The event is organised by Havering Council and Romford's four shopping centres - The Brewery, The Liberty Shopping Centre, The Mall and Romford Shopping Hall together with Romford Market.

Children's favourite Bob the Builder and his friends Spud and Wendy will light up Romford Town Centre as the Christmas illuminations are switched on at 6.30pm.

Among the other highlights in the Market Place will be a special visit from Santa and his reindeer and Panto favourites from the Queen's Theatre as well as a spectacular fireworks display.