Local News and Events

Solar Farm – 22/0948/FULEI

Another planning application has been lodged for the solar farm. Please look at the new plans and make your comments to Hertsmere Planning Dept.

If you wish to make any comments about this application, you can do this by:

Logging onto the website using this link https://www6.hertsmere.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application

Emailing consult.planning@hertsmere.gov.uk please quote the application number 22/0948/FULEI

Posting your comments to The Planning and Economic Development Department, Hertsmere Borough Council, Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 1WA, please quote the application number 22/0948/FULEI

Your comments need to be received by 23rd July 2022.

Aldenham Parish Council are committed to at the same time to appeal the original application when the planning inspector considers the developers appeal in October and have employed a barrister to represent it.

Plastic Free Periods & World Refill Day




Different reusable bottles
World Refill Day
World Refill Day is a global campaign to prevent plastic pollution and help people live with less waste.
Single-use plastic is everywhere but one of the biggest uses is for drinks bottles. Here’s a few facts to shock you!
Plastic bottles: fast facts

A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute.

13 billion plastic bottles are used each year in the UK – this includes all fizzy drinks, milk and toiletry bottles. A shocking 60% of these are water bottles – that’s 7.7 billion bottles that could be easily avoided.

If just 1 in 10 Brits refilled their drinks bottles every week, 340 million plastic bottles would be saved every year.
Less than 30% of people refill their reusable water bottles, even though we have some of the best quality tap water in the world.
Over the last 15 years, the consumption of bottled water has doubled in the UK.

Every day in the UK an estimated 700,000 plastic bottles are littered.
So  join the Refill Revolution and ditch the single use  bottles, opting for a reusable alternative instead.

Thanks to a fantastic initiative called Refill, topping up your water bottle when out and about is even easier. Refill allows public places – such as cafés, pubs, takeaways and restaurants – to register as Refill Stations that will happily refill your bottle with free tap water on request.

They have an app which shows where you can get coffee refills with a discount for bringing your own cup, shops where you can refill your own containers, and lunch venues where you can order to go in your own containers too. 

There are more than 65 Refill Stations registered in Hertsmere so download the Refill app or keep an eye out for Refill window stickers in around the shops near you.
 

Reusable period products
EVENT: Plastic Free Periods
11am to 1pm
Thursday 16 June
@ Vimi’s Eco Store, Watling Street, Radlett, WD7 7LA

If you’ve ever wondered how period pants work or what exactly a mooncup is, then come along to our Plastic Free Periods event at a wonderful refill shop – Vimi’s Eco Store in Radlett.

We will be on hand to chat about everything period related with samples of all the different reusable period products, from period pants and pads to menstrual cups and discs! And Vimi’s Eco Store will be discounting their period cups by 40% on the day!

Plus don’t forget to grab your refillable containers as you may as well fill up with anything from nuts and dried mango to hand wash and laundry soap while you’re there!

And if you’re still undecided about swapping to reusables have a quick read through these fast facts:

It is estimated that between 1.5 -2 billion disposable period products are flushed down toilets each year – 4.6 million every single day! Apart from being harmful to marine life, disposable products flushed down the toilet contribute to another problem – fatbergs. Fatbergs are huge masses of period products, wet wipes, nappies, fats and oils. Every year the UK spends about £100m clearing an estimated 300,000 fatbergs.

10% of sewage related debris on beaches is composed of period pads, liners/backing strips, tampons, and applicators. Switching to reusables means much less waste.

Many period products can contain up to 90% fossil-fuel based plastic. Most tampons contain plastic too (not just the applicator but the absorbent part too).

Non-organic disposable period products can contain toxic industrial chemicals like BPA, dioxins, pesticides, bleach and fragrances – manufacturers don’t legally have to state what is in their products.

During lockdown 30% of girls in the UK aged 14-21 years struggled to afford or access period products. With reusables, they are always available.

Each period can cost on average £10, that’s £130 a year and £4940 over a lifetime. In comparison, a menstrual cup costs around £20 and lasts up to 10 years offering an enormous saving.
More than 11,000 disposable products are used in a menstruating lifetime – based on an average of 38 years using 22 items of menstrual products per cycle, with 13 cycles per year.

Planning changes to protect jobs and homes

Office buildings and cars in Cranborne Road industrial estateFurther changes to local planning regulations are being introduced to help protect some of Hertsmere’s major employment sites and distinctive homes.

We’re rolling out new ‘Article 4 directions’ in order to prevent buildings in designated employment areas in Borehamwood, Potters Bar, Shenley, Elstree and Bushey being converted into housing, without the need for planning permission.

Original Article 4 directions were confirmed just over two years ago, but changes in national legislation mean the directions have to be updated in order to protect against redevelopment or conversion of premises in business parks or industrial estates.

In addition, we’re implementing new directions to protect a number of bungalows across Radlett, which are deemed of value in the recently adopted Radlett Neighbourhood Plan.

This follows recent changes in national legislation which allow for an extra storey to be built on homes, without the need for planning permission, as long as it complies with certain criteria.

A copy of the new Article 4 directions for employment areas and a set of frequently asked questions can be found at www.hertsmere.gov.uk/article4.

A copy of the new Article 4 directions for Radlett and a set of frequently asked questions can be found at www.hertsmere.gov.uk/RadlettArticle4

The new directions will come into force in May next year. Until then all interested parties can give their views in a public consultation by emailing at local.plan@hertsmere.gov.uk.

Responses can also be submitted in writing to Planning department, Hertsmere Borough Council, Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood WD6 1WA.

Flying the Progress flag with Pride in Hertsmere

Pride ceremony

June is Pride month and we are sending a clear message of support to Hertsmere’s LGBTQ+ community.    

The Pride Progress flag was raised outside the Civic Offices in Borehamwood today (Tuesday 7 June) by the Mayor of Hertsmere, Councillor John Graham. He was joined by council staff, councillors and colleagues from the NHS, Hertfordshire Constabulary and Herts Fire and Rescue Service. A collection for the Herts Mind LGBTQ+ online support group has raised more than £100 so far, with donations continuing over the month.

Pride Progress is an updated version of the rainbow Pride flag, which better represents diverse communities. Pride flags are also being raised in Aberford Park in Borehamwood, Parkfield in Potters Bar, and King George Recreation Ground in Bushey.

Data from the Home Office shows that LGBT hate crime based on sexual orientation have risen every year since 2016/17 to 2020/21. More locally, homophobia was behind one in eight reported hate crimes in Hertfordshire, in the year that ended in March 2021.  

We are offering community grants to voluntary organisations and community groups that celebrate Hertsmere’s diverse communities and promote inclusion across the borough. These groups could qualify for a funding boost of up to £2,000.

Throughout June, our staff are invited to wear Progress Pride badges to show support to the LGBTQ+ community. These were purchased from The Pride Shop, where donations from sales support The Pride Fund – raising funds for Pride events across the UK.

For more information about Pride month and how it aims to support LGBTQ+ individuals and communities, click here.

Jubilee Holiday Bin Collections

Jubilee_bin_collections

There will be no bin collections on Thursday 2 or Friday 3 June due to the Jubilee bank holiday.

Bins that are usually collected on either of these days will be collected on Saturday 4 June.

If you are having a street party please make sure your bins are accessible on the relevant day:

Normal Day             Revised Day

Monday          –         No change

Tuesday         –         No change

Wednesday    –         No change

Thursday        –         Saturday 4 June

Friday            –          Saturday 4 June

Climate Action Community Grant

Climate Action Community Group

Our changing climate affects all of us. To help promote green schemes, Hertsmere Borough Council is inviting local community groups to apply for a new grant to help them take action on climate change.

The new Climate Action Community Grant provides funding of up to £500 to community-based organisations taking measures locally to tackle our climate emergency.

The aim is to encourage volunteers and communities to take action through a range of initiatives, including energy efficiency measures; renewable energy; promoting active and sustainable transport; reducing waste; improving the use of resources; enhancing biodiversity; reducing carbon emissions; through to supporting local, sustainable or seasonal food production.

Addressing climate change is a major focus of the council’s work and we’ve set out our plans for reducing carbon emissions resulting from our services and operations, as well as developing green schemes.

The grant is for any community group that needs help to set up a project. The grant will support practical measures such as tree planting and habitat improvement; education programmes to increase awareness and the skills needed to change and adapt lifestyles; green travel and transport schemes; energy saving in community buildings; local food initiatives; and recycling and reuse projects.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 30 June. Decisions will be made in July and grants allocated in August. 

This new initiative forms one part of the council’s ambitious plans to achieving net zero carbon emissions before 2050. 

To find out more about the Climate Action Community Grant or to apply, please visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/CACG

New Mayor of Hertsmere welcomed

Cllr Graham, left, and Cllr Eni, right, pose with Mayoral chains.T
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The borough’s mayoral chains have been passed on to Hertsmere Borough Councillor John Graham.

Cllr Graham, pictured left, takes over the role as Mayor of Hertsmere from Cllr Anne Swerling and was inaugurated at the council’s annual meeting yesterday (Wednesday 18 May). The new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Victor Eni, pictured right, was also welcomed. During her time as Mayor, Cllr Swerling raised money to support Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.

She said: “Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me and particular thanks to Cllr Graham, who has been an excellent support in his role of Deputy Mayor and I’m sure will excel in his new Mayoral role.”

New mayor Cllr Graham is looking forward to his year as Mayor during which he will be raising money to support Peace Hospice Care.

If you would like to invite the Mayor to attend one of your events, please contact the Mayor’s Secretary on 020 8207 7477 or email mayors.secretary@hertsmere.gov.uk.

Hertsmere Dementia Friendly Communities relaunched

Members of the group meet for the first time

Aimed at raising awareness of Dementia in Hertsmere and improving the lives of those faced with a diagnosis, the Hertsmere Dementia Friendly Communities (HDFC) has relaunched.

Previously known as the Hertsmere Dementia Action Alliance, HDFC has relaunched during Dementia Action Week (16-23 May). Due to a sustained drop in dementia diagnosis rates for the first time ever, Dementia Action Week’s theme is ‘diagnosis’ and statistics show Herts Valleys diagnosis rates are 60.4%, which is 6.3% below the national target, suggesting the region is following this trend.

It is thought that misconceptions around symptoms may be leading people to go undiagnosed and missing out on guidance and support.

As part of the relaunch, Dementia Friends awareness sessions will be rolled out, and dementia friendly measures will be implemented across the borough.

Meetings will be chaired by Communities 1st, with members of the group including Carers in Herts, Citizens Advice, East of England Ambulance Service, Healthwatch Herts, Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council, Hertswise, Representatives of the Potters Bar PPGs, Age UK Herts, and ourselves. Find out more about Dementia Action Week at Dementia Action Week | Alzheimer’s Society (alzheimers.org.uk)