There is cautious optimism as I write this Vision column in mid-January that London may have passed the peak of the Omicron wave of covid and I am glad we were able to get through Christmas without restrictions on seeing those we love. The contrast with Christmas 2020 was stark and partly due to the incredible way in which residents engaged in the vaccine booster campaign. As of 2 January, 54% of Havering’s 18+ population had received their booster vaccinations which is significantly higher than the East London (36%) and London (42%) averages. I would like to thank all those who worked and volunteered over the festive period in supporting the roll out which will help alleviate the significant pressure the Omicron variant is having upon our local healthcare system.
I have continued to engage with our local NHS teams and the Chief Regional Nurse is keen to get the message out that the NHS is open for all your needs and is not simply a covid service. Please do come forward with any concerns and symptoms so that you can get treated early. To the longer term, readers will be aware of my campaign to get the new NHS Hub in Hornchurch delivered. I am encouraging everyone to engage in the online consultation so that we can shape the new hub around residents' needs. Do visit the consultation site and share your feedback - https://northeastlondonccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/engagement-begins-on-the-new-integrated-health-and-wellbeing-hub-in-hornchurch/
Residents may recall my meeting with Havering Sixth Form College last summer about the moderation process the college applied to the Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) given to students in some A Level subjects. I have continued engaging with students, the college and also Ofqual who have conducted their own review. The Chief Regulator advised that she is now satisfied that the overwhelming majority of students whose grades were lowered have now received a grade that is equivalent to, or higher, than their TAG. The College had requested that the exam boards change 685 grades, which have now been changed, and a further 25 grades have been changed following stage two appeals by students.
Shortly before Christmas, I met with the new Housing Secretary, Michael Gove, following a succession of private meetings with Housing Ministers and officials in Downing Street to push for progress for leaseholders in Harold wood and elsewhere affected by cladding and fire safety issues. I am pleased that Mr Gove set out a series of new steps to make developers responsible for funding cladding remediation rather than leaseholders.
