Park gates across Havering have not been routinely locked at night since 2022, and the council is now facing calls to explain why.
Havering council’s Place Overview & Scrutiny Sub Committee discussed park safety, access and gate management after concerns were raised by residents. Of the borough’s 89 parks, 34 have lockable gates, but they are not routinely locked. The meeting heard calls for more data and a clearer rationale for the policy.
Historically, park gates were locked at dusk and reopened at dawn every day. The practice stopped in autumn 2022 as part of the council’s medium-term financial strategy, with a benchmarking exercise suggesting other London boroughs had also reduced or stopped their locking schedules. A pilot scheme with National Enforcement Solutions covering litter and park locking, which ran from June 2023 to June 2024, was hampered by recruitment and retention problems, leading to inconsistent locking.
Officers acknowledged that detailed crime statistics broken down by individual park are not available, as Met Police data is recorded by ward. However, observations suggest that most crime and anti-social behaviour in parks occurs during daytime hours when gates would typically be unlocked. While isolated incidents of out-of-hours crime have occurred, it was noted that locked gates may not deter determined individuals.
A community safety survey conducted earlier this year revealed that 13 out of 226 responses included concerns about park safety, with requests for more visible patrols, park wardens, and improved lighting. Some comments also highlighted issues such as drug use, intimidating behaviour, and the presence of motorbikes and quad bikes.
The committee heard that a detailed report on topics including the rationale for the gate locking policy, crime statistics, the possibility of resident volunteers locking parks, and the cost of various locking options will be presented in January. Options being considered include engaging a dedicated service provider, the council re-establishing a locking function, or exploring volunteer involvement, though there is currently no budget allocated for this.
Councillors suggested reviewing bylaws and engaging with private landowners who manage public spaces. The potential cost of implementing automatic gates was also discussed, with estimates running into hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds for widespread adoption.
