Libraries, children's centres and MyPlace to close

Havering Council has responded to new advice set out last night by the Prime Minister by closing all libraries, children’s centres and MyPlace youth and community centre.

All the borough’s ten libraries, Chippenham Road and Hilldene Children’s Centres and MyPlace in Harold Hill did not open this morning (24 March 2020) and will be closed for the foreseeable future to minimise risk of transmission of coronavirus, especially to vulnerable people. Havering Council will also retain the option of closing Rainham Village Children’s Centre, if there is insufficient staff available to keep it open.

The libraries website is also still available providing online access to audiobooks, ebooks, magazines and newspapers. The Council is also introducing a fines amnesty across all libraries, which means there will be no charges for overdue materials for the time being.

Councillor Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said:

“We make today’s announcement with regret but as a response to the Prime Minister’s call to keep residents in Havering safe and well. I am determined that we do everything we can to protect residents and ensure that council staff are best able to support the massive effort happening across our communities to tackle coronavirus.

“Staff working for these services will work in different ways to support our communities, whether through looking at ways to continue their current work or by deploying to other areas during this time. We will reopen these buildings as soon as we can and make sure that vulnerable service users continue to be supported in the interim.”

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 – Friday, 9am–5pm to respond to all emails or telephone enquiries.

For enquiries about Myplace, email myplace@havering.gov.uk. You can leave your telephone number and we will get someone to call you back. We will make sure your message is passed on.

Go to our Covid 19 information page for the latest update on council services and links to national guidance.