resident volunteers
Havering council is discussing park safety and gate management in November 2026, a service that historically involved daily locking, following resident concerns.
Havering council's Place Overview & Scrutiny Sub Committee discussed park safety, access and gate management in November 2026. This discussion arose after residents raised concerns about the routine locking of park gates at night, a practice that ceased in autumn 2022.
The committee 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, a service that stopped as part of the council’s medium-term financial strategy.
Key facts
- Havering council's Place Overview & Scrutiny Sub Committee discussed park safety, access and gate management in November 2026. Source
- Park gates across Havering have not been routinely locked at night since 2022. Source
- The practice of locking park gates stopped in autumn 2022 as part of the council’s medium-term financial strategy. Source
- Of Havering’s 89 parks, 34 have lockable gates. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 12 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.