Your recycling and waste collection timetable will be affected over the holidays. Please check your revised collection schedule over the Christmas and New Year holidays 2023/24.

If you are driving or looking for a place to park over the festive period, please be aware of the parking restrictions that apply at certain times during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Check your collection schedule ➝

Check parking restrictions ➝

Bromley is value for money – confirmed!

We have always maintained that Bromley is a value-for-money borough, but now the Daily Telegraph agrees. 

Bromley is shown second for overall value for money out of 127 councils reviewed according to a recent story and based on Council Tax Band D rates for 2023/24.

Among the categories cited were 98% top-rated schools, 91% top-rated care homes and an impressive recycling rate which is first in London.

Bromley’s Living in Care Council (LinCC) and Change for Care Leavers (CfCL) were recognised with an award at the annual Amplify awards event from the Coram Foundation, a national charity supporting care-experienced children and young people.

Two of Bromley’s care leavers were in attendance at the ceremony to represent and collect the award on behalf of the Council after significant competition from other local authorities. Bromley’s Active Involvement team were chosen as winners of ‘The Voice Award’ for demonstrating exemplary practice in supporting the voices of children in care and care leavers to be promoted and heard. The work put forward by LinCC and CfCL connected the voices of social work staff, senior management, and elected councillors with those of Bromley’s children in care and care leavers, leading to the creation of a monthly dining club where young people can learn cooking skills and socialise, and a new training video co-produced with our care leavers.

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Tackling Loneliness – Christmas Card ProjectBromley’s Tackling Loneliness team partnered with Bromley’s children and young people to make beautifully creative and inspiring Christmas cards for people in the borough who may feel alone or isolated over the Christmas period.

Thank you to all 44 schools, both primary and secondary, the 6 children and family centres in the borough managed by the Bromley Children’s Project, and Mytime Active’s after-school clubs for making nearly 5,000 cards!

These have all been delivered to various residents from across the borough to help brighten their Christmas this year, including residents who use Extra-Care Homes in Bromley.• Domiciliary Care Agencies.• Several well-being cafes for those over 65.• Library locations across the borough.• Bromley Homeless Charity.• Bromley Y’s service.• Bromley’s Young Carers support services.• Bromley’s Youth Justice support services.• Age UK Bromley and Greenwich Befriending.• Bromley Well’s long-term health conditions team.• Memory Box Dementia Cafe.• Adult Carers supported by Bromley Well.• All hospitals in Bromley: the PRUH, Orpington Hospital, Beckenham Beacon and Queen Mary’s.

Recipients were thankful and heartened to receive their card, and shared delightful comments about the heartfelt messages inside. Many thanks to the organisations, children, and young people from Bromley whose creations brought some extra brightness to people’s lives this Christmas!

Bromley Foster Carers talk on how fostering helps children to thriveFoster carers from across Bromley sat down to talk about their experiences with fostering and how they have helped children and young people to thrive and reach their potential.

Four members from Bromley’s network of foster carers took a break from their group training and support event to provide answers and insight for anyone interested in fostering with Bromley. Alongside professional training and support, foster carers in Bromley are also welcomed into a network of carers from across the borough who all connect and guide each other through their fostering journeys.

If you are over 21, have a spare bedroom, and have been curious about becoming a foster carer but weren’t sure where to start, you can start your fostering journey today by visiting www.bromley.gov.uk/fostering to learn more or call Bromley’s fostering team on 020 8461 7701.

Vaping in young people

What is vaping?

Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are devices that enable users to inhale nicotine in vapour, generated by heating a liquid (e-liquid), rather than smoke.

Quitting smoking using vapes:

Vaping or e-cigarettes are promoted to adults who already smoke as a way to reduce or quit smoking. Using an e-cigarette can help you manage your nicotine cravings.

Vaping use in young people:

Young people should be discouraged from vaping, especially if they do not smoke cigarettes. There are concerns about nicotine addiction, the unknown health effects of vapes and illicit content. It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s and it is also illegal for an adult to purchase them for someone who is under-18. If you suspect that someone is selling vapes to children (or adults are purchasing on their behalf), and/or that the vapes are illicit, please contact trading standards with as much detail as possible or call 0808 223 1133 (via Citizens Advice Consumer Service).

Recycling vapes

Batteries, vapes and electrical items should never be placed in your rubbish bin or your green and black recycling containers.

They contain precious metals that can cause harm to the local environment if not treated and disposed of properly. Batteries within electricals can start fires when crushed or damaged inside waste collection vehicles.

Remove batteries from vapes and electricals before recycling. If you’re unable to remove the battery, recycle it together with your old electricals.

The Supply Bromley programme will offer bespoke advice on topics such as public sector procurement and decarbonisation plans, alongside exciting network opportunities. These new services will complement existing support services that local businesses can access on the Bromley Business Hub and Start-Up Bromley.

Keeping Well in Winter

For advice on staying well in cold weather, including issues such as healthy lifestyle, vaccinations, and heating visit the Keeping Warm and Well webpage on GOV.uk.

Viruses such as Flu and COVID-19 spread more easily in Winter when we spend more time together indoors, and they can cause serious illness. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and those around you. Getting your Covid and Flu vaccinations, means you are likely to have milder symptoms and recover faster, reducing your risk of being hospitalised.

Check your eligibility on the winter vaccinations webpage on NHS.uk or speak to your GP surgery.

Keep your child well this Winter.

Children are particularly vulnerable to winter illnesses.

The One Bromley Local Care Partnership have packed useful advice in a new ‘Keep your child well this Winter’ guide for 2023/24 to help parents manage the season of runny noses, fevers, and germs.

Parents are also urged to help protect their children by ensuring they are up to date with their free measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other routine childhood immunisations. These vaccinations are crucial in protecting children against preventable diseases. It is never too late to catch up, speak to your child’s GP if you are unsure or check the NHS childhood vaccines timeline.

Stay Connected with the news across Bromley

Alongside the Our Bromley Newsletter, you can stay connected with Bromley News by following us on your preferred social media platforms. 

Stay up-to-date and join our growing band of followers online.

• Follow @LBofBromley on Twitter/X.
• Follow /LBBromley on Facebook.
• Follow /LBBromley on Instagram.
• Subscribe to /LBBromley on YouTube.

Our website is always there 24 hours a day, every day to report problems and to get useful information there and then. Visit www.bromley.gov.uk to find out what is available.