We Asked, You Said, We Did

The release of sky lanterns is causing a major impact on the environment and a danger to human and animal life due to wild fires.  Over 188 Councils have already banned the release of sky lanterns from their land, including neighbouring authorities such as Essex County Council and the London Borough of Redbridge.

There are similar risks associated with the outdoor release of helium balloons, and unauthorised fireworks displays.

Havering Council carried out a consultation activity from January 2023 to February 2023 to ask the public for their thoughts and comments on banning the following activities from Council owned and managed land:

• the release and sale of sky lanterns
• the release of helium balloons
• unauthorised firework displays

512 responses were received to the consultation.  The majority of responses were fully supportive of the Council’s proposals.

Sky Lanterns

• 95% of respondents said they were aware that sky lanterns are harmful to the environment and wildlife.
• 94% would like the Council to consider banning the release of sky lanterns from Council owned and managed land.
• 94% would like the Council to consider refusing the sale of sky lanterns at any Council events.

Helium Balloons

• 90% of respondents said they were aware that the release of helium balloons are a source of littering and can be harmful to wildlife.
• 91% would like the Council to consider banning the release of helium balloons from Council owned and managed land.

Fireworks

• 89% of respondents agree that Havering Council should prohibit unauthorised firework displays on council owned or managed land.

Havering's Cabinet met on 8 March 2023 and agreed to adopt a policy on the Release of Sky Lanterns, the Release of Helium Balloons and the Unauthorised Use of Fireworks on Council Owned or Managed Land.

Havering Council launched a consultation on our Budget 23-24 draft proposals, which set out how the Council propose to save money whilst still providing vital public services.  We asked for feedback on how these proposals would affect Havering’s residents.

3188 responses were received to the consultation, plus an additional 11 paper copies that were not available to be included in the full Public Document Pack at the time of publishing.

• The three most important issues that respondents feel that Havering is likely to face in the next year by weighted rank are: Cost of Living Crisis (49%), Crime/Community Safety (27%), National Health Service/ Healthcare (26%).

• The three most important issues that respondents are personally most concerned about are: Paying Bills (29%), Cleanliness of Street and Local Area (23%), and Anti-Social Behaviour in My Community (22.44%) however, My Physical Health and Fitness was marginally less (22.35%).

• Respondents were asked if they would support an increase in Council Tax and did not include any particular assumptions on a Council Tax increase but provided an illustration on how a 1.99% increase in Council Tax would mean an increase of 60p per week on an average Band D property in the borough:

• • 42% supported an increase of up to 2%,
  • 17% supported an increase of 2% or above
  • 38% did not support an increase.

We asked for feedback on our proposals which we grouped into themes:

• Reducing or stopping some services: The top three proposals that respondents feel will have the most negative affect on them are Reduction of CCTV Monitoring Hours (34%), Reduced Grounds Maintenance (19%) and End of Grant Funding to Havering’s Citizens’ Advice (19%).

• Changing how we fund and provide services: The top three proposals that respondents feel will have the most negative affect on them are: Alternative Weekly Collection/Containerisation of Waste/Recycling (59%), Review of Parking Services Delivery Model (27%) and Highway Procurement Savings (24%).

• Increasing income: The top three proposals that respondents feel will have the most negative affect on them are: Increasing Garden Waste Charges (39%), Increase of Cremation Fee and Introduction of New Burial Products (21%) and Increase Bulky Waste Collection Charges (21%).

• Improving our business efficiency: The top three proposals that respondents feel will have the most negative affect on them are: Reduction in Running Costs (7%), Restructure of Services to Drive out Inefficiencies (7%) and Review and Deletion of Vacant Posts (6%).

Havering's Cabinet met on 8 February 2023 and agreed proposals for the Council's 2023/24 budget.

As a direct result of feedback:

The Council will continue to fund the Havering Citizens Advice Bureau for another year, as it is clear that they provide a vital role for residents.

The proposed closing of the Elm Park Children's Centre which is home to a children's nursery, will continue to stay open as it was clear that closing the site at this time would have put parents and their children at a disadvantage.

Public safety remains a large concern for residents and as part of the proposals, we have committed £3.5 million to push through the new CCTV upgrades, as well as pledged a further £260,000 to continue the Council-funded Section 92 police officers to help keep our streets safe. These officers are extremely successful in what they do and it is important they continue to help reduce crime in the borough.

Please see the full Public Document Pack Here which includes the 2023/24 Council Budget Setting Report.

Havering Council carried out a consultation activity from September 2022 to November 2022 seeking residents’ views on our parks and open spaces.  These include Havering’s traditional parks, small open spaces, formal gardens, playing fields, country parks and allotments, which deliver a whole range of benefits for local communities; providing places to relax, exercise, hold events and to learn and to play.

We asked residents and park users to help us set out Havering’s priorities for its parks and open spaces over the next 10 years in order to meet the objectives set out in national, regional and corporate plans and policies. 

1488 responses were received to the consultation.

• The top three priorities were: 85% of respondents use them for health reasons, 80% would like to us to create more conservation areas to encourage more biodiversity and 79% would like us to provide play areas for children.

• 90% said they felt very safe or safe in Havering’s Parks and Open Spaces.

• The top three facilities respondents usually use when they visit are: benches and seating areas (56%), cafes and mobile catering (43%) and toilets (36%).

• The top three reasons that respondents use our parks and open spaces are: to go for a walk (69%), to enjoy plants and trees (39%) and for peace and quiet (35%).

The survey results have been reviewed and recorded and they will be included in a draft report to inform our new Parks Strategy.

The Government announced that from 2030, new petrol and diesel cars will be prohibited from sale within the United Kingdom.  Over the next decade the number of electric vehicles within the country and within the borough is expected to significantly increase.

In order to meet this challenge, Havering Council carried out a consultation activity from July 2021 to July 2022 seeking residents’ views on having Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCPs) publicly available and asking where residents would like to see them installed, if they owned an electric vehicle and if they planned to buy one.

356 responses were received to the consultation:

• 27% of respondents currently either own or hire an electric vehicle and a further 63% plan to purchase in the future.
• 69% said they would purchase an electric vehicle sooner if there were more charging points.
• 93% of respondents would like to see more charging points in bays marked for ‘EV Charging Only’ and 81% of respondents would like to see slow-charging points in lamp posts.
• The top three priorities for charging point locations outside of residential areas were Supermarkets (91%), Shopping Centre Car Parks (89%) and Town Centre Parking (80%).

The survey results have been reviewed and recorded and they will help with planning the future roll out of the EVCPs across the borough.

Since the survey went out Havering Council has received £346k of Government funding from the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to deliver 68 Charge Points in Council operated car parks and up to 80 on street charging points across the borough in 2023. The Council will soon begin a procurement exercise to appoint a Charge Point Operator and the intention is to begin delivery of the charging infrastructure in the coming months.