Langtons Summer Concert

One of the most popular events in the borough's culture calendar, the Langtons Summer Concert, will take place on Sunday 7 June, and is free to all residents.

The annual event, which last year attracted around 3,000 people to Langtons Gardens, will celebrate 80 years since Havering Council acquired the gardens of Langtons House from Elizabeth Varco Parkes in 1929.

In celebration of this anniversary, guests are invited to put on their best 1920s style fancy dress, and there will be a prize for the best costume in two categories, adults and children, presented by the Mayor of Havering.

The concert is performed by the Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra who will bring the sound of the 1920s to life with the help of long standing musical director Jonathan Butcher. The concert starts at 3pm and visitors are invited to bring along a picnic.

Older Persons Christmas Dinner

I had the oppertunity to pop into the Forest Row Centre yesterday, which was the venue for Havering Councils Older Persons Christmas Dinner and Party.

Over 150 residents came together for the event, which was organised by Havering Council for those people that may be spending Christmas on their own, or have no family. A host of Councillors helped out, with one looking strangely like Farther Christmas, the Mayor also made a visit.

Although I was only able to stay for an hour, it was great talking to some of the older people that had come out for the afternoon, the majority of them were picked up the Councils own fleet of mini buses, a true door to door service.

Cllr Andy Mann

Mayors Charity Dinner

Tonight, the Residents Association team went along to the Mayors Charity fund raising dinner, held at Maylands Golf Course, in Harold Wood. Cllr Georgina Galpin had chosen Age Concern-Havering as her charity for the year.

There were approx seventy people in attendance and a good night was had by all, we had a table of nine, and made the most of it. The evening was supported by the Residents Association with Councillors past and present in attendance. We had our own Cllr Andrew Mann and Mawneys Team, Graham & Karen Price, along with Joe Webster and Havering Park member, Kevin Tonks.

Also in attendance were R.A Cllr’s Ray Morgon, Mike Winter, June Alexander and Barbara Matthews. Past R.A Cllrs included Louise Sinclair, Owen Ware, the Camerons and the Lewis’s.

There was a distinct lake of Conservative members at the dinner, four Councillors and an odd M.P amongst them, not very supportive to Madam Mayor !

For more information about the Mayors Charity, please drop us a line, contact details on the right.

Forest Row Open Day

This Saturday (the 26th Jan) the Mayor of Havering will be opening the Forest Row Centre in Lodge Lane, Collier Row at 1pm. There will be an open day for local residents from 10.00am to 2.00pm, where you will be able to see some of the activities that go on in the centre, such as Karate, Dancing, Gym club, Pilate's, Collier Row Football Club and much more, a children's entertainer will also be on hand to keep everyone amused whilst looking round.

Local Havering Park Ward Councillor and Centre Trustee, Cllr Andrew Mann said "It would be fantastic if our local residents could drop in during the day, to have a cup of tea with us, whilst looking round the new £2 million centre, it has been built for the Residents of North Romford and i would very much like to see you all there on the day"

So, if you are not doing much on Saturday, just drop in between 10.00 and 2.00 and see what goes on, free refreshments are on hand throughout the day.

Happy St Georges Day

Well today is St Georges Day, the 23rd April. Despite many residents and Politicians calling for a Bank Holiday for today, we still don’t have one. I do think that many residents would support the idea of introducing a National Day. As usual nothing is being organised by Havering Council, despite all the big words.

Apart from both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor attending the Scouts, St Georges Parades in Romford, Hornchurch and Squirrels Heath Scout Districts, nothing much happened, apart from the market traders displaying their flags in the market place, which of course they have done so for years.

As a Scout Leader of 15 years now, I was pleased to attend the St Georges Parade in Romford yesterday, Cllr Georgina Galpin, the Deputy Mayor was in attendance and looked great in all her splendour, she spent a lot of time talking with all of the young Beavers, Cubs & Scouts, which was nice to see.

As there is no bank holiday, I suppose I better get of to work, let’s see what happens next year.

Sure Start Children’s Centre

I was pleased to be able to attend the official opening of Havering’s First Children’s Centre in Collier Row this week. The new centre brings together a range of services to local families with young children.

Although I did not partake in the fun and activities with “Bob the Builder” or “Fifi forget me knot”, I did manage to say hello (see picture), I also missed the flower pot men that were at the event, along with a magician, however, they all managed to keep the kids amused whilst parents and carers were able to look round. The official opening was carried out by Havering Mayor, Cllr Wendy Brice – Thompson, who also took in a tour of the centre, helped by “Fifi forget me knot”.

I was shown round the centre by David Woodhull (Sure Start Children’s Centre Manager) and three very nice ladies, Sarah Tether (Havering Early Years Manager), Alyson Day (Under 5’s team) and Carole Jaques (Havering Inspection & Advisory Service). I don’t normally mention staff, but they twisted my arm, well two of them anyway. I think the new centre is a credit to all of the staff involved at Havering’s Children’s Services department and they deserve a mention.

The Centre is funded by Sure Start, through the Department of Education & Skills, and managed by Havering Council. The project cost over £500,000, through a grant from the DFES, and I must say as a Ward Councillor, I am very pleased that this facility has come to Collier Row. It is the first of a number of Centres that will be rolled out across the Borough over the next 12 months or so.

The new Children’s Centre at Collier Row comprises an extension to the existing Early Years Centre, providing space for a 34 place full day care provision, a hot desking area for the multi agency, multi disciplinary team (based on the Sure Start Local Programme model), two further rooms which will be used as training or health rooms, a buggy store and large reception area.

The aim of ‘Children’s Centres’ is that all services come together as one provision and that the Centre becomes a hub for the community. The Centre will offer a range of multi agency services for under 5’s and their families and provide early support and intervention particularly for the most disadvantage communities. The aim is to ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life.

If you would like any more information bout the centre, the best thing is to just drop in, it’s in Clockhouse Lane, just opposite the Community Centre in Collier Row.

Suits you Madam Mayor

Nobody could see this one coming, as Residents Association Cllr John Mylod handed over the chains of office in May this year. I know much has already been said in the Local and National press concerning the Tory Administration at Havering increasing the Mayors allowance from £13,000 to £27,000. Quite how they can come to this conclusion, nobody knows.

Your Residents Association Councillors called in this decision for scrutiny, during the discussion one of the reasons put forward by the Conservatives was the cost of ladies clothes had increased, our very own Cllr Morgon said he could not believe that.

However, all of the Tories were on a three line whip that night and Cllr Binion (Tory Havering Park) hit back with a classic “Haven’t you ever been out shopping with your wife ?, women’s clothes aren’t cheap”. Well there you have it, no more Matalan for our Mayor and Deputy.

In a strange quirk of the rules at Havering, anything left in the pot after the year is split between the Mayor and Deputy, so if you do very little you are rewarded with more money. If you are a busy Mayor, you get nothing. Now nobody is saying that Mayor, Cllr Wendy Brice Thompson or Deputy, Cllr Georgina Galpin will do nothing, they are actually both nice ladies and I know they are working very hard raising money for the Mayors Charity.

Last year, our Residents Association Mayor, Cllr John Mylod and his wife Pat worked non stop for the whole year, they attended over 500 events and could do no more. At the time of the increase, the Conservative Mayor and Deputy had done no more engagements than John and Pat had, but hey they just got on and done the job without reward.

It’s just a shame that the Tories can not seem to get things right with allowances, and they have to go the whole way and give themselves the biggest budget in London (outer London). Watch this space for more on allowances, im sure it’s not the last we have heard.