Local News and Events

Have your say on Hertfordshire County Council’s budget spending (2023-24)

We want to hear your views on how we can make the fairest decisions possible as we develop our budget plans.

Like all organisations across the country the ongoing impact of increasing inflation has added significantly to the pressures on Hertfordshire County Council’s budget. Having set a balanced budget for the next two years as recently as February 2022, we have since seen this position changing at pace with inflationary pressures having an impact on the day-to-day costs of our services.

In short, it’s costing a lot more to simply provide our services at current levels. For example, the bill to keep streetlights on has increased by 60%, that’s an extra £2.3 million a year just to keep the lights on after dark. Despite this, thanks to close control and financial forecasting it has been possible to manage the in-year potential over-spend of £23.5million.

The Leader of our council has lobbied for the county via the Local Government Association, County Council’s Network, working with MPs and directly to Government to make it plain that an enhanced financial settlement is essential in order to keep the vital services running for the people of Hertfordshire.

Last week, the government announced that it will provide us with flexibility to set our levels of council tax. However, before any decisions, we want to hear from you.

Your feedback via this consultation will inform the discussions that our county councillors will have throughout January at public panel meetings and help decide the budget that is set for the council in the February 2023 Full Council.

The budget survey is open to all residents, town and parish councils, parish meetings and organisations in Hertfordshire and can be found here www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/budgetsurvey

Carers Camera Club

“A Day in the Life…” Photo Exhibition
Carers in Hertfordshire Carers Camera Club.
The Carers Camera Club will be holding its third exhibition, “A Day in the Life…”, in The Radlett Centre. The exhibition is a way to give a voice to the carers in the Carers Camera Club by showing people what being a carer means. It allows members to show their work, and demonstrate their talents.
Dates: Thursday 5 January – 30 January 2023
Venue: The Radlett Centre
1 Aldenham Avenue
Radlett, Herts. WD7 8HL
https://www.radlettcentre.co.uk/
If you look after someone and would like to find out how Carers in Hertfordshire can help you or ask them about a caring-related query, or would like to support their work, please get in touch. Call – 01992 58 69 69, or email contact@carersinherts.org.uk
Charity Registration No: 1085491

Suspicious Emails

Dear Watch Member,

We have been alerted to reports of a criminal group who are mimicking the email domains of reputable law firms, attorneys, and debt collecting agencies to send emails asking for overdue payments.  They are indiscriminate as to which industry they target.

The emails are designed to look very similar to those of the reputable organisations they are mimicking.  They use “social engineering” to convince the recipient to carry out a particular action, such as to pay an outstanding invoice. Invoices are sent as a PDF file and appear the same as a legitimate invoice but the banking details have been replaced with those of the criminal group.

Indicators of “spear phishing” emails:

  • Suspiciously spelled email addresses.
  • Use of language prompting urgency or risk such as: “Urgent!” “Overdue!”
  • Unexpected change of payment details.
  • Threats that the “problem” will be raised to a manager or executive.

If you believe you have found a suspicious email: 

  • Do not reply, click on any links or open any attachments
  • Compare the email address with a previous known contact address.
  • Confirm any requests through a separate email address or phone number found on the company website or from previous correspondence known to be genuine (do not use contact details on the suspicious email).
  • Escalate concerns to a colleague or line manager (but do not forward the email).
  • Report suspicious emails by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk.

If you believe you have sent money as a result of a suspicious email, contact your bank immediately.  You can report incidents of cyber crime to ActionFraud.police.uk  By doing this, you’ll help to prevent others becoming victims of cyber crime.

Please only reply if you have information that the sender has asked for by tapping on this email address: wlo@herts.pnn.police.uk. If you want to discuss anything else or report a crime, please refer to the Police Contact Advice below. Regards,
Derrick Sweeney
Watch Liaison Officer
Email: wlo@herts.pnn.police.uk

Last chance to shape vision of SW Herts

The logo of SW Herts PlanResidents and businesses have just under two weeks left to give their views on the future of South West Hertfordshire, as part of a public consultation on a draft vision of the area.

More than 3000 people have already responded to the consultation on the South West Hertfordshire 2050 – Realising Our Potential document. The document, which includes a draft vision and objectives for the area until 2050, marks the first formal plan-making stage for the South West Herts Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) and covers all aspects of life in South West Hertfordshire, as well as the big issues and opportunities that lie ahead for the area, such as the challenges of climate change.

We’ve drawn it up in collaboration with St Albans City and District Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council, supported by Hertfordshire County Council.

Responses can be submitted to the consultation until 5pm on Friday 4 November by the button below.
Submit your comments

Older Person’s Safety Information Event

Come along to this FREE safety information, help and advice event being run by Hertsmere’s Community Safety Partnership for people aged 60+.

The event takes place Thursday 3 November, 9:30am-1:30pm at The Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue. The day will include safety talks and information, a hot lunch and refreshments provided by Herts Independent Living Service. See further details of the event in the flyer, pictured below. Spaces are limited so please secure your place by calling 0208 207 7801 or email linda.hammond@hertsmere.gov.uk.  

Beryl to launch new e-bike scheme in Hertsmere

Ash Trowe, Regional Manager of Beryl and Cllr Seamus Quilty, Portfolio Holder for Environment
The UK’s leading micromobility provider, Beryl, and Hertsmere Borough Council are launching a brand-new bike and e-bike share scheme.

From Thursday 20 October, a new fleet of 25 bikes and 20 e-bikes will be available to hire via the Beryl app.

A launch day event will be held from 10am at the junction of Furzehill Road and Shenley Road in Borehamwood to enable people to look, try out and chat to Beryl representatives about the new scheme.

The bikes can be hired from and returned to 24 ‘Beryl Bays’, which have been located as conveniently as possible following consultation with communities and key stakeholders.

This means that 28,089 people are no more than a five-minute walk from a bay, which represents 87.5% of the service area’s population.

The scheme will be operated by Beryl on behalf of Hertsmere Borough Council. The project is being funded by Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy, Section 106 contribution from SKY Studios and Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy from Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council.

Users can pay for their journeys in a variety of ways to suit individual needs and circumstances.

Pay As You Ride is best for single journeys or occasional rides and will cost users £1 unlocking fee and 5p per minute on pedal bikes or £1.50 unlocking fee and 10p per minute on e-bikes

Minute Bundles enable regular users to buy upfront and save money, starting at 100 minutes for £5

Day Passes are suitable for people on long days out and offer people unlimited riding over a 24-hour-period for £12 for pedal bikes only or £16 to include e-bikes

The Beryl app is available for free download on the App Store for iOS, and the Google Play Store for Android users

Stay safe and warm this winter

Stay safe and warm this winter with free of charge electric blanket and portable heater testing run by Trading Standards and Fire & Rescue Services. If you have an electric blanket (or heater) that you are going to use this winter due to concerns about rising energy bills, you’ll want to be sure that it is safe. Bring yours along to free testing events for peace of mind. Testing will take place on the dates below at the following locations:  
Monday 17 October 2022 10:00am – 5:00pm Bishops Stortford Library, The Causeway, CM23 2EJ  
Tuesday 18 October 2022 9:30am – 4:30pm County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13 8DE                                                  Wednesday 19 October 2022 9:30am – 4:30pm Watford Central Library, Hempstead Rd WD17 3EU  
Thursday 20 October 2022 9:30am – 4:30pm Welwyn Garden City Library, Campus West AL8 6AJ           
To book a slot for testing, please call: 01707 292429. You can also attend without an appointment on a first come, first served basis. Please share details with friends, family and neighbours.  

Make your health your priority

A Community Wellbeing Fair is coming to Borehamwood next week to provide residents with information about wellbeing support available locally. Anyone wanting practical advice and support to improve their wellbeing can attend the Community Wellbeing Fair, organised by us, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees of Allum Manor, on Friday 21 October from 1pm – 5pm at Allum Manor on Allum Lane, Borehamwood. The event will feature a market place with over 20 stalls offering wellbeing information services and advice from various local groups, such as Carers in Herts, NHS Wellbeing Service, Herts Mind Network, Sebby’s Corner and many more. There will also be mini health checks and COVID-19 vaccinations taking place. Booking not needed, just drop in. Everyone is welcome. Working with you, for you, improving our communities, our places. Contact us www.hertsmere.gov.uk customer.services@hertsmere.gov.uk 020 8207 2277 Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, WD6 1WA

Temporary Closing of Harper Lane, Shenley

NOTICE is given that owing to the likelihood of danger to the public whilst bridge repair works are being undertaken, all traffic is temporarily prohibited from using that length of Harper Lane, Shenley from its junction with A5183 Watling Street north eastwards for a distance of approximately 140 metres.

If you have any queries about the bridge repair works or the temporary road closure, please contact Anthony Beard tel.0191 691 5162 at Hatton TM or David Parkinson tel.0300 123 4047 at Hertfordshire County Council.

The work is expected to take 21 days to complete when started on the 29 September 2022. An alternative signed route will be provided for traffic whilst the road closure is in place.

The prohibition imposed by this notice can remain in force for up to 21 days.