You should expect service disruption as a result of Covid 19 and specific changes to services will be listed here.
All statements are up to date at the time of viewing. Previous statements are removed and replaced with the most current information we have about each service.
Havering Town Hall, Public Advice and Service Centre (PASC) and Mercury House closed
In order to follow Government directives on staying at home and social distancing, and to make sure Council staff can continue to offer the best possible service to the public, Havering Town Hall and the Public Advice and Service Centre (along with Mercury House) are closed.
Buildings will remain accessible to staff on a strictly limited basis.
Anyone needing to speak to a specific department or service should telephone:
Adult Social Services: 01708 432000
Children’s Social Services / Safeguarding Team: 01708 433222
Council Tax: 01708 433997
Environment / Streetcare: 01708 432563
Housing Benefit: 01708 433996
Housing Services (Repairs / Rents/ PSL): 01708 434000
Housing Solutions / Homelessness enquiries: 01708 432824
Payment line: 01708 433993
Planning and Building Control: 01708 433100
Registrars: 01708 433481
School Admissions: 01708 434600
Main switchboard: 01708 434343
Arts and leisure
Fairkytes Arts Centre is undergoing a phased return with limited resources available. Please call 01708 456308 or email fairkytes@havering.gov.uk
Havering Libraries currently have reduced opening hours and the Local Studies library is open by appointment only.
Leisure centres
Centres are open with reduced activities.
Business
Please see our coronavirus business support page for information about opening safely and assessing risks.
Licensing
Premises licensing
To prevent any delays in your application we currently advise you to use the online option and not send us paper copies. Go to links to online premises licence applications
Child performance
In compliance with current government lockdown guidance, we will only consider applications for:
self-recorded content from the child’s home with no production personnel entering the home
outdoor work (open air) where the child plus parent will not meet more than 4 people from outside of their household eg production personnel
Each consideration of the above will be made on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to strict risk assessment.
Any licence issued will be subject to revocation should future government updates indicate the type of performance would represent a risk to the child.
We will not be considering any indoor performances except those outlined above until further restrictions are lifted.
Children in Reception, Year 1, and Year 6 whose parents are choosing not to return their children to school are unlikely to be licensed for shoots during school hours.
Children and families
Children's centres and MyPlace
Please contact childrenscentres@havering.gov.uk or 01708 432636 if you require any assistance for any of the services that run from the Children’s Centres in Havering.
Staff will be available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, to respond to all emails or telephone enquiries.
Leaving care
Havering Council's Leaving Care Team continue to support young adults. Where possible they will be working remotely, using Skype and telephone communication.
In essential cases we will still provide home visits to vulnerable young adults who live alone however for the most part this support will be provided through their foster carers or staff at their semi-independent accommodation.
Council and democracy
Elections and voting
The Elections team are working from home and are unable to send out registration forms as quickly as they normally would. Please complete a registration form online if you are able to.
Register online on the GOV.UK website
Requests for information (FOI, EIR, SAR and ERASURE)
The Access to Information Team will make every effort to respond to requests for information within the statutory timescales however you are likely to experience delays as resources are re-directed to front line services because of Coronavirus.
We apologise for this and appreciate your understanding and patience.
Council meetings
Meetings are being held virtually and you can view them, and we announce them, on our meeting videos page
Farnham Road
The Farnham Road office is closed until further notice.
Housing repair visits
Repair and maintenance work in occupied properties will be assessed against a number of safety and practicality criteria.
Only essential work will take place in homes where occupants are self-isolating or shielding.
If residents have a concern for their health, we will reschedule planned works.
Contractors will be subject to risk assessments and follow government guidance on safe working, including PPE provision.
Procedures on safe working will be explained to residents prior to work taking place.
Tenants are expected to inform us if they are isolating or shielding, and must maintain a two-metre distance from staff and contractors.
Home Ownership and Right to Buy Teams
Due to Government guidelines around coronavirus all members of the Home Ownership and Right to Buy team have now been instructed to work from home.
In order to maintain our services, the Home Ownership and Right to buy team, would prefer in these exceptional circumstance if any written communication to Homeownership or Right to Buy could be sent via email.
If this is not an available option, please contact us on 01708 433015.
We will aim to respond to you as swiftly as possible.
Parking services are running as normal.
Parks
Parks, including our play areas and recreational areas, outdoor gyms and multi-use games areas, are open.
Please use the areas with consideration for others and follow the guidance on posters that will be displayed in play areas.
If you and your family are using these areas, please ensure that you social distance at all times from other households.
Use sanitiser to clean hands before and after using any equipment, and wash your hands when returning home.
Please don’t use these areas if anyone in your household has coronavirus symptoms.
Our parks and grounds maintenance teams will be making sure that the general safety of the equipment is maintained.
Planning regulations
The Government has permitted builders and construction companies additional leeway during the pandemic to work hours outside of those previously restricted by condition, or to apply to vary the hours and have their application determined quickly.
The Government has also allowed additional flexibility outside of their usual permitted hours for supermarket and food deliveries.
Usual enforcement action may therefore not be taken in order to help ensure vital food supplies can continue to be delivered throughout the pandemic.
There are no extensions to compliance timeframes for planning enforcement notices or breach of conditions notices.
If you get a notice you should still continue to comply as instructed.
New enforcement notices will continue to be served as appropriate throughout the pandemic in order to protect public amenity and building standards.
Duty Planner
The duty planner service is via telephone appointments only.
Appointments can be booked for advice (for householders and small businesses) on 01708 433100 and will be available Monday, Wednesday and Fridays between 9.30am and 11.30am.
Planning pre-application advice
Telephone conferencing facilities are available for meetings with multiple participants.
All site visits have been replaced with a photograph review.
Planning applications
All applicants and planning agents are asked to submit their planning applications electronically wherever possible.
Any paper based submissions must be sent directly to: Planning Applications, PO Box 17308, Birmingham, B2 2DF.
All applicants and planning agents are asked to pay their applications fees electronically or over the telephone wherever possible. Card payments can be made by calling 01708 433100 and following the options.
Anyone wishing to submit a representation on a planning application is asked to do that electronically wherever possible. Please use the online comment form which you can access after you have searched for an application or email planning@havering.gov.uk quoting the application reference.
Building Control
All applicants and agents are asked to submit their applications electronically wherever possible.
All applicants and agents are asked to pay their applications fees electronically or over the telephone wherever possible. Card payments can be made by calling 01708 433100 and following the options.
Unless required in connection with a dangerous structure call-out, all in person site inspections will cease, with the focus switched to telephone based inspections and a photograph review.
Customers will still be able to make a same day booking for a call with a Building Control Surveyor.
Please call 01708 433100 and follow the options to make a booking.
Planning enforcement
Customers are asked to raise any new enforcement complaint via our enforcement page or through email wherever possible.
Street naming, highways register and local land charges services
Personal searches will be dispatched electronically. If you are a Personal Search Agent, please continue to book your search in the usual way.
If you normally contact us by post, please could you in the first instance email landsearches@havering.gov.uk and we will respond accordingly.
General enquires from solicitors and others
If you are a solicitor or property owner making an enquiry about planning history or obtaining copies of documents, please email planning@havering.gov.uk
Please email registration@havering.gov.uk or call 01708 433481 if you have an urgent registration query.
Please email ceremonies@havering.gov.uk or call 01708 433155 if you have an urgent booking query.
Due to the current situation regarding Covid 19 the volume of emails and telephone enquiries has increased.
We apologise if there is a longer delay than normal in our response to you.
Langtons House is currently open for pre-booked appointments only, for the registration of new births and notice of marriage or civil partnerships and pre-booked ceremonies.
Unfortunately we are unable to speak to customers outside the building regarding any other issues. You will need to put your concerns in writing to registration@havering.gov.uk
Death registrations
Death registration continues to be taken over the phone.
We will contact you once we have received the Medical Cause of Death Certificate from the medical practitioner with your contact details.
Death registration certificates
We aim to produce within a 1 day of your registration and you will normally receive them within 4 days, as we are dependent on the Royal Mail Service.
Birth registrations
You are now able to book your birth registration online .
Birth certificates will be given to you at your appointment.
Birth by Declaration
If you have registered your birth at another registration office please do not request copy certificates until 7 clear days after your appointment as we will be unable to produce your certificates.
Copy certificates
Copy certificates we currently have large volumes of requests for copy certificates, so please expect delays in us responding to your request.
Corrections
We are currently not dealing with corrections unless you can prove that it is an emergency.
If it is an emergency please do not come to the office but email registration@havering.gov.uk for further guidance.
Please keep an eye on our website to advise you when this service returns.
Re-registrations
We are currently not dealing with re-registrations, please keep an eye on the website for when this service returns.
Ceremonies
We are currently only conducting pre-booked ceremonies or emergencies, please email ceremonies@havering.gov.uk if you have an emergency.
Notice of Marriage of Civil Partnership
If you require an emergency notice of marriage or civil partnership please email ceremonies@havering.gov.uk with details of your ceremony.
We have carried out risk assessments based on current government guidance which states that a modest number of close friends and family may attend, whilst maintaining two metre distancing.
Up to 30 mourners allowed in the South Chapel, up to 15 in the East Chapel, 18 in Upminster and Rainham Cemetery Chapels, 20 in Romford Cemetery Chapel and 30 at graveside at any of our cemeteries.
Toilets are open at all sites, providing hand-washing facilities and sanitiser is available on entry and exit to chapels.
Hymn books and donation boxes have been removed from all chapels for the time being.
Current guidance states that singing, chanting or playing instruments that are blown, should be specifically avoided.
NHS Test and Trace registering at our chapels
We are required to assist NHS Test and Trace with data requests to contain outbreaks of infection.
On entry to the our chapels forms are available to enable each household attending a service to provide a contact name and telephone number.
This information will be kept for 21 days before being destroyed by means of a confidential waste service.
Please bring a pen with you.
Cemetery grounds and chapels
The cemeteries at Romford, Hornchurch, Rainham and Upminster are open 9am to 7pm but please remember to observe distancing rules.
The chapels in the Rainham and Romford cemeteries are now open following renovation.
South Essex Crematorium Gardens of Remembrance are open.
South Essex Crematorium
Following Government guidance, the Tea Room at South Essex is closed until further notice.
The Hall of Remembrance and Chapel of Meditation are also closed until it is possible to reopen these confined areas safely.
The reception office is closed to walk in visitors but you can make an appointment to pick up loved ones remains or to discuss laying cremated remains to rest and to arrange a memorial.
You can now book a Witnessed Committal.
Staff can be contacted via telephone 01708 434433 or email cemeteries@havering.gov.uk
Anyone showing symptoms of Covid 19 should not attend a funeral but be encouraged to participate remotely and to that end we continue to offer a reduced fee of £30 for webcasts.
Funeral directors can still pick up ashes from the crematorium.
Both car parks are fully open.
Read more on the changes at South Essex Crematorium
Audio visual services
Families may still order webcasts for funeral services in either the South or East Chapel at South Essex Crematorium for the reduced fee of £30.
Please note, they will not be provided automatically.
Unfortunately no guarantee can be given that your webcast will be uninterrupted or error free, particularly at times of high demand.
We will email the applicant for the cremation, a password and a login id before the funeral. Due to heavy demand this may be as late as the day before the service.
You will be able to view the service as it takes place and during the following seven days.
DVDs/CDs/USBs are not available to order until further notice, instead if you wish to order a service recording, it will be provided as a link to a download.
Please check the rubbish and recycling page for updates about missed collections.
Due to the continuing need to prioritise waste and recycling collections, deliveries of orange sacks, green bins and compostable sacks may be slightly slower than usual.
Havering Adult College
Havering Adult College is running with some distance and online lessons.
School open events
Due to the current covid 19 pandemic and the strict government guidelines on social distancing, there is a possibility that it may not be possible for secondary school open events to take place in the usual format.
Please see our list of school open events to see what is taking place.
Primary and secondary school closures
Please check with your school for details about opening times and classes.
Appeals
The appeals timetable has been adjusted. Go to our appeals page
Family Services Hub
For general information about early years, childcare and funding, including the availability of places go to the hub