Contents:
- Coronavirus
- Community support
- Test and trace self isolation payment
- Businesses
- Food business advice
- Food collection, delivery and growing
- Self employed
- Council Tax Support
- Housing and rent
- Health and wellbeing
- Bin collections
We are continuing to provide services during the coronavirus outbreak that our residents and businesses need.
Most services are running as normal, but with the majority of staff working from home, there might be a longer delay than usual when contacting our teams.
We are now making plans for our recovery which will decide when and how some facilities, which are currently closed, may reopen safely. These plans will follow the government’s recovery plan.
Protecting the health and wellbeing of residents and staff will always be the council’s priority. We will only reopen facilities when it is safe to do so and where safety measures to help stop the spread of the virus have been considered and put in place.
Report a coronavirus concern
If you are concerned that a business in Harlow is not following government guidelines, you can report this to us by email env.health@harlow.gov.uk
Changes to services
A summary of our current service provision is below. HTS (Property & Environment) Ltd has also issued an update on the services they provide for the council.
We will update this page as and when services change.
Allotments
Plot holders are able to visit their plot, in keeping with the government guidance. We are not taking new applications for allotments at the moment.
Benefits
Staff continue to process benefit claims. See our page on getting help with housing and rent
Bin collections
See our page on bin collections
Bus Station
Bus Station Visitor Information Point remains closed until further notice and social distancing measures remain in place within the waiting areas.
Business support
See our page on support for businesses and self employed
Government grants are being issued to businesses that meet government eligibility criteria.
Civic Centre
The Civic Centre reopened to the public on Monday 6 July, but only for essential visits where you cannot access a service online or over the phone.
We have complied with the government's guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19 and have published our COVID-19 Secure poster (pdf)
You can also read our COVID-19 risk assessment (pdf)
Remember, you are able to contact us by phone on 01279 446655 and access many services online, like ordering a new bin or reporting litter.
If you need help with something that is not available online, you can also contact us
Community Hub
The hub remains open for the foreseeable future. See our page on community support for more information on the hub
Council meetings
All council meetings will be held virtually and streamed live on the council’s YouTube channel until further notice. Residents can still participate in meetings and ask questions. You can read the procedures for these meetings
Council Tax
Staff continue to deal with enquiries about Council Tax.
You need to continue to pay your Council Tax as normal, but if you’re having difficulties, see our page on Council Tax Support
Councillors
Local councillors continue to support residents with enquiries and carry out casework. Councillors can be contacted by phone or email. You can view full contact information for councillors
Elections
The local and Police and Crime Commissioner elections are postponed until May 2021.
Essex County Council
You can see how Essex County Council services in Harlow are affected (like schools, libraries and adult social care) on the Essex County Council website
Events
Harlow Carnival has been postponed until next year and other planned events such as fireworks night will be reviewed later in the year using the latest government guidance.
Grass cutting
The full grass cutting service has now resumed.
Harlow Museum and Walled Gardens
The Walled Gardens are open, but the inside of Harlow Museum is currently closed until further notice.
The gardens are open every Saturday from 25 July 2020, from 10am to 4pm - last entry at 3.30pm.
There is space for people to sit and bring refreshments and dogs are welcome on leads. Toilets are open.
Whilst the inside of the museum is shut, we are working on a new project living through lockdown which you can be a part of.
Harlow Playhouse
The Playhouse is now reopening. From Monday 27 July studio spaces reopened and from 1 September the café and bar spaces also reopened. There will be changes to how the spaces will be accessed to keep everyone safe.
At the moment, all performances that were scheduled to take place in September and October are postponed. If you have a ticket for a performance, the Playhouse staff will contact you to discuss transferring your ticket to the revised date, a credit voucher, donation or refund.
For more information check the Playhouse website
During its closure the staff have developed a digital programme through its Facebook page to keep residents entertained.
Housing
See our page on housing and rent
Latton Bush Centre
The centre remains open with reduced opening hours to allow business tenants to access premises and continue to provide services.
Leah Manning Centre
Leah Manning remains closed until further notice. Staff continue to contact clients regularly to ensure their welfare and other support and drop off essential items.
Licensing
Our priority will be to ensure that existing licence holders can continue to operate, where possible. For all enquiries email the licensing team licensing@harlow.gov.uk and we will aim to respond to you within 5 working days.
The issuing of taxi licences is continuing through the introduction of a new remote working system.
Litter
We are continuing to litter pick, as well as empty litter and dog bins.
Local outbreaks
The local response to outbreaks and any measures that are put in place locally to prevent further spread of coronavirus are the responsibility of Essex County Council (ECC). ECC are also responsible for the local test and trace service, which works with the national system. For more information on this visit the ECC website. Any local measures that are put in place would be fully communicated to the community by ECC.
Parking and car parks
Enforcement activities in the town are carried out by the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP).
Parking patrols restarted on 7 May 2020 and focus on requests for enforcement received from residents. Updates from the partnership can be found on the NEPP website.
Car parks next to fields around the town have reopened as well as the Town Park car parks.
From 6 July 2020 charges in Harlow Council-owned car parks in the town centre, Town Park and neighbourhood shopping centres are reintroduced.
It will still be free to park for up to 1 hour in the neighbourhood shopping car parks at Bush Fair, The Stow and Old Harlow and free all day at the weekends and after 5pm.
It will also still be free parking for up to 1 hour in the car parks in the Town Park, River Way and Burnt Mill Lock and free parking in these car parks for up to 2 hours at the weekends.
You can read more about council car park charges in our news story
Parndon Wood Nature Reserve
The reserve has reopened with ticketed entry.
Payments
You need to continue to pay your council bills. Whilst we are closed, you can make payments online.
This includes:
- Council Tax
- housing and garage rents
- business rates
- service charges
- contents insurance
- benefit overpayments
You can also pay using the 24 hour, automated telephone payments line 01279 446600
Direct debits or standing orders can be set up. Rent can also be paid by a payment or post office card at a local payment point or post office. There is help and support available to residents who genuinely cannot pay bills at this time.
Pest treatments
We are now providing pest treatments again.
Pets’ Corner
Pets' Corner reopened from 10 August 2020. You can find more information on our Pets' Corner page
Planning
Planning officers continue to determine planning applications as normal and the council’s planning committee is taking place virtually. The Local Plan Main Modifications consultation was extended until 31 May 2020.
Playgrounds and outdoor sports facilities
Playgrounds reopened from 30 July 2020. You can read more in our playgrounds reopening news story
The inclusive playground located next to Pets' Corner, remains closed because it needs repairs due to vandalism.
Council-owned tennis courts, basketball courts, multi-use games areas and the skate park remain closed while we review what hygiene and social distancing measures are needed to help stop any spread of the virus.
Privacy
You can read our coronavirus privacy notice for information on how we will use your data during this pandemic.
Safety and crime
Our Community Safety team continue to carry out patrols around the town and monitoring restrictions working alongside the police.
Sam’s Place
Sam’s Place remains closed until further notice. During the service’s closure regular contact is being made with children and families.
Street cleaning
We have now resumed our full street cleaning service and are working to catch up with outstanding street cleaning. We are focussed on clearing fly tips as quickly as possible.
Supported housing
Housing officers remain in regularly contact with tenants. The Careline service continues to operate 24 hours a day to provide support of the most vulnerable residents. Supported housing common rooms remain closed for gatherings and individual use. Residents still have access to communal laundry facilities via common rooms.
Town Park
The Town Park remains open for all to enjoy and has been open during the outbreak.
The car parks have reopened, as have the public toilets by Pets' Corner
Spurriers Café is open for takeway, 7 days a week.
We ask all visitors to respect the current government guidelines for open spaces, such as 2m social distancing and remaining in groups of no more than 6 people - with 160 acres we have plenty of room! We also ask you to help our litter teams by taking your litter home with you where possible.
Our Town Park volunteers have been busy watering and weeding plants during a very dry period, and hosting the Harlow Grows project, where 300 vegetable boxes and compost were distributed to local houses to grow their own vegetables. The Walled Garden has also been used to provide hanging baskets filled with bedding plants, which have been placed around the park and other places across Harlow to provide a splash of colour and lift spirits.
We look forward to seeing you enjoying our park, voted one of the 10 favourite parks in 2019!
Trees
We will be dealing with trees on a case by case basis with each case being individually risk assessed. Trees posing a risk to persons or property will continue to be the priority.
Youth Council
The Youth Council are currently not meeting but regular contact is being made with youth councillors to support their wellbeing.