SPRING IS BAA-RILLIANT IN NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE Picture credit: Standalone Farm - North Herts Council
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COMMUNITY NEWS FROM NORTH HERTS COUNCIL
GET ACTIVE
OUTLOOK
OUT
ELECTIONS COMMUNITY LOTTERY WHAT’S ON
SPRING IS
BAA-RILLIANT
IN NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE Picture credit: Standalone Farm
SPRING 2022 www.north-herts.gov.uk
CONTACTING North Herts Council is committed to equal opportunities and our
NORTH HERTS COUNCIL aim is to make our services easy for all residents to use. If English is
not your first language or you have difficulty reading this document
Most North Herts Council services can be
please contact us to discuss how we may be able to assist you.
accessed online. Find out the date of your next
waste collection, apply for a licence, report an Please call: 01462 474000, or email service@north-herts.gov.uk
issue, register to vote or pay a bill, all through Textphone (for textphone users) on: 01462 474800
our website: www.north-herts.gov.uk
OUTLOOK is published by the Communications
Team, North Herts Council, Council Offices,
Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF email
outlook@north-herts.gov.uk
© Unless otherwise stated, articles and photography are
copyright of North Herts Council.
Every care is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publisher or
OTHER WAYS TO CONTACT US: manager cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in
editorial content.
Phone: 01462 474000
www.facebook.com/northhertsDC
“ MAKING NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE
A VIBRANT PLACE TO LIVE,
“
@NorthHertsDC WORK AND PROSPER
North Herts Council’s Leadership Team
In this edition of Outlook we’re featuring North Herts
Council’s Leadership team. Steve Crowley –
Service Director - Commercial
North Herts Council is led by Anthony Roche,
My directorate works alongside other
Managing Director and supported by six Service
service areas and external agents
Directors. Find out a bit more about them below. in a bid to generate income, create
savings, identify efficiencies and invest
on behalf of the council.
Anthony Roche – Managing Director After finishing university, I worked in
I work with councillors on the strategic the leisure sector. I started working
vision for the council and lead on the for North Herts Council in 2001 as
council’s response to the pandemic. an Operations Manager at Hitchin
My aim is that we are an outward-looking Swimming Centre, then progressed
and modern council that is easy to to Contractors and Projects Manager.
deal with. In 2018 I was promoted to Service
Director – Commercial.
My background is as a solicitor. I joined
North Herts Council in 2008 as a solicitor I love visiting the
in the legal team, before progressing to be Monitoring Officer, North Herts Museum
to Deputy Chief Executive and to Managing Director in 2020. with my family. I was
heavily involved in
I have spent the majority of my life living in Hertfordshire and this project, so seeing
have family who live in the district, so have a personal interest people enjoying it fills
that we deliver a brighter future together. me with pride.
2 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022
Ian Couper - Service Jo Dufficy -
Director - Resources Service Director -
I am responsible for services that
Customers
include HR, accounts and property. My priorities are focused
These services are mostly there to on making sure our wide
support other staff to deliver their range of services are
roles, so may not be very visible externally, although available and accessible to all and that
the property team recently installed solar panels as a council we are easy to deal with -
on the roof of our office building. I started work at something we have committed to do in our
Hertfordshire County Council in 2003, where I did newly launched Customer Service Strategy,
an accountancy qualification, and joined North Herts by putting our customers at the heart of
Council in 2016. I have two young children and spend everything we do.
a lot of time in the district’s parks and play areas.
I have just had my ten-year anniversary of
working for North Herts Council and prior to
that I worked at the City of London.
Ian Fullstone – Service
Director - Regulatory Although not originally from North Herts,
I have lived in the district for many years.
My key responsibilities include planning, I love living here and enjoy the open spaces
parking, environmental health, housing we have.
and building control. I joined North
Herts Council in 1990 as an apprentice
within building control. The council supported me through
my degree and professional qualifications to become Jeanette
a qualified building control surveyor, a career which I Thompson -
loved. My entire thirty-year local authority experience has
been at North Herts rising to Building Control Manager,
Service Director
then Head of Service to Director of Regulatory today. – Legal and
I’ve gained valuable experience as a school governor, Community
supporting a school in Letchworth for almost 20 years,
and have also had the pleasure of living in Letchworth. The areas I oversee cover front facing
services like community protection,
licensing and community engagement,
as well as the support areas such as
Sarah Kingsley – democratic services (arranging Council
Service Director - Place meetings and elections), the legal section
I am responsible for overseeing our waste and policy. I am also the Monitoring
and recycling services, leisure facilities, Officer, trying to ensure that officers and
green spaces, our communications and councillors maintain the highest standards
emergency planning. I am passionate about of conduct.
delivering customer focused services and ensuring we I have been with the council since 2015 –
engage effectively with residents. and having worked in other authorities I
My background is in communications and public affairs with can say that North Herts is a great place
previous roles in renewable energy and transport. I joined to work, with colleagues and elected
the council in 2010 as Communications Manager and was councillors striving to do their best for the
promoted to Service Director last year. district. In the changing landscape of
local government, we hope that the
One of my favourite places in North Herts is Weston Hills council is now more adept at engaging
nature reserve near Baldock – a great place to get away from with the community and trying to get
it all with my dogs, as well as spotting the odd Longhorn cow! it right.
SPRING 2022 like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC OUTLOOK 3
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4 OUTLOOK SPRING 2022
T&Cs apply. Limited time only.
Are you ready
to commit to The key to
success is
an active you? setting ourselves
up to form
With spring around the corner, it might be time to review, healthy habits.
restart or refresh how active you are in your day-to-day life.
You may have started the year with a resolution, but now is
the time to turn this pledge into a habit.
We all have daily habits that we To create a new habit the best range of equipment and facilities
might not even think about – such way to succeed is to start small, to help you get active. The teams
as brushing our teeth, that morning make it easy, do something every can help you to develop your
cup of coffee, commute to work or day and reward yourself with mini activity plan which might include an
a set nighttime routine. But how do milestones. You might start with a early morning gym session, a pilates
you make keeping active a habit? morning stretch session after you class to help you unwind and relax,
have brushed your teeth, walking to or even a dip in the pool.
Many people try and create healthy
work, or walking the kids to school
habits the wrong way, such as
instead of jumping in the car.
making a bold New Year resolution SLL is offering a free gym or
to start exercising and lose weight Stevenage Leisure Limited (SLL) swim pass at your local leisure centre
or complete a marathon by the is on hand to help you form your so you can see how healthy habits
summer, without running a mile. new habits and succeed. The group and keeping active can help
Some people succeed at continuing operate the North Herts Leisure improve your lifestyle. For
their resolution throughout the year, Centre in Letchworth, Archers Health more information on
others may find that after a few & Fitness in Hitchin and the Royston how to get your pass,
months the commitment dwindles. Leisure Centre under a contract take a look at the ad
The key to success is setting with North Herts Council. All their on the opposite page.
ourselves up to form healthy habits. leisure centres have a fantastic
SPRING 2022 OUTLOOK 5
WASTE & Amp up your
RECYCLING recycling – don’t
forget those batteries
They may be small but they are
Save your clothes
highly toxic and when old batteries
are thrown away in your household
rubbish, they end up in landfill where
from landfill and they could corrode and leak harmful
chemicals into our soil and waterways.
help the planet It’s easy to recycle alkaline batteries
through your kerbside recycling
collections. Pop them in a plastic bag
The fashion industry accounts for you cannot reuse such as a bread
about 10% of global greenhouse gas bag, tie it up and place on top of the
emissions – that’s more energy than both flying lid of your grey recycling bin. They
and shipping – and it is estimated that £140 million have to be kept separate as they go
worth of clothing is sent to landfill each year. to a different recycling centre.
You can also
So instead of throwing out old clothes and buying
drop them off in
into fast fashion, think about repairing, donating, selling,
dedicated bins
swishing or swapping. Unwanted clothing can also be recycled
at supermarkets
via your kerbside recycling collections. You can include clothes,
and other
paired shoes, towels and bed linen – just put them in non-
shops as well
reusable plastic bags (please don’t use black sacks or charity
as your local
donation bags), tie them up to keep the contents dry and put
recycling centre.
them next to your grey bin on your usual collection day.
Recycling electrical and
electronic equipment
Small household appliances • if it isn’t working, could it be If none of
such as vacuum cleaners, irons, repaired via a local repair these options
kettles and toasters as well as person or repair café? work for you,
TVs and computer equipment please recycle
• does it need a replacement
should not go in your purple bin. your WEEE
part? Parts can be much
at your local
Waste electrical and electronic cheaper than buying new.
recycling
equipment (known as WEEE)
• can it be returned to the centre.
cannot be sent to landfill so
supplier? Some items such
before disposing of it please
as TV set top boxes and
consider:
larger white goods
• if the item is still working, can can be picked up
it be passed on to someone by your new or old
else you know or online? supplier.
6 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022
Love food, hate waste
Want to save £100s this year and help save the planet at the same time?
Food waste is one of the largest contributors to climate change and it is
estimated that families waste around £720 worth of food a year.
By adopting small changes in our • introduce an ‘eat me For more ideas, tips and
behaviour – planning our meals soon shelf’ in your fridge, information follow us on social
better, only buying what we so you know exactly what media and join our Facebook
need, storing food properly and needs eating first group Waste Warriors or visit
knowing the difference between www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
• swap some
best before and use by – we can
fresh fruit and
all make a big difference, and fill
veg to frozen
our wallets and stomachs instead
of our bins! • unless you know
you can get
Food Waste Action Week takes
through it all,
place from 7 to 13 March, so why
store bread in
not use this week to start some
the freezer.
good food habits:
Eat more veggies The Great British Spring Clean - the nation’s biggest
With spring in the air it’s a great time to think about mass participation environmental campaign takes
how you can eat more fruit and vegetables and less place between 25 March and 10 April – grab a litter
meat, not only for health reasons but it will also help picker and get involved!
tackle climate change. Here are some top tips:
As well as local parish and town councils, we have over
Grow your own fruit and veg – it is likely to be more 70 volunteers in our Adopt an area scheme who look
nutritious as you can eat it when it’s completely fresh after areas of land in North Herts.
so it won’t have lost as many nutrients or have a
If you want to get involved in the
carbon footprint through being transported.
annual Keep Britain Tidy Spring
Buy local and eat what’s in season – this reduces Clean check locally if something is
the carbon footprint of transporting food over long happening already. Please register
distances. Challenge yourself to create a meal entirely any events taking place on our Therfield Residents’ Group
out of locally-sourced food! website. We have litter picking kits available for
groups to borrow and can also arrange to collect
Eat more plant-based meals – try using plant your bags of rubbish.
proteins like beans, nuts, pulses or meaty mushrooms.
Thank you to the wonderful groups, volunteers and
organisations who have litter picked throughout the year!
Give your street a spring clean
For more information and to book your
litter pick visit: www.north-herts.gov.uk/
community-litter-picking
SPRING 2022 like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC OUTLOOK 7
World Water Day:
5 ways you can conserve water at
home and make a big difference
Every year World Water Day is celebrated on 22 March in
Catching rays a bid to increase awareness about saving water. Here are
some suggestions of how you can reduce your water usage.
on the roof
Solar panels have been installed
Taps Showers
Turning off the tap when you A five-minute shower uses half
on the roof of our office building
brush your teeth can save up to the water of a full bath. Consider
in Letchworth to help reduce our
6 litres of water a minute and timing yourself in the shower to
carbon emissions and save money.
a dripping tap can waste up to keep it as short as possible and
They are expected to generate more 15 litres of water a day, which is turning the water off when you’re
than 10,000 kWh of electricity and 5,500 litres of water in a year! not rinsing. Putting a plug in when
save around 5.3 tonnes of carbon Try to turn off the tap when you you shower can also show you
each year. The estimated financial brush your teeth and get that how much water you are using –
saving during the 25-year lifetime of dripping tap fixed. you can even use this saved water
the panels is over £60,000. to water your plants!
The reduction of carbon is roughly the
equivalent of more than 6,500 trees Toilets Drinking
growing for one year so this is great The older your toilet, the more Water
news for the environment. water it is likely to use for Waiting for the tap to run cold
flushing. Old toilets can use over is estimated to waste up to 10
Installing solar panels is just one of
10 litres for one flush. Whether litres of tap water a day per
a number of measures the council
your toilet is old or new, you household. Consider filling a jug
is taking as part of our Climate
can still save up to 5 litres of with tap water and keeping it in
Change Strategy, having declared
water a day by using a cistern your fridge – this will also help
a climate emergency in May 2019.
displacement device in your toilet to keep your fridge cool and
We have already switched to
– this can be as simple as placing use less energy!
renewable electricity and green gas
a small bottle filled with stones
in our buildings and we are looking
and water (with the bottle lid
at providing additional electric car
on) in your toilet cistern.
charging points in our car parks. It is worth considering
investing in water-efficient
Look out for details of a new
goods when you need to
innovate scheme the council is Dishwasher replace household goods.
exploring for residents who would and Washing Installing a water butt to
like solar panels installed. Machine your drainpipe can also
Did you know that washing a
collect around 5,000 litres
full machine load of clothes uses
of water a year which can
less water and energy than two
be used to water your plants
half-loads? The good news is that
or clean your car and wash
dishwashers and washing machines
your windows.
are better for the environment
than cleaning by hand, but it is For more information
important to ensure, as much as and ideas, check out
possible, that they are fully loaded www.waterwise.org.uk/
before we turn them on. save-water
8 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022
Into the wild 10,000
extra
As the weather gets warmer, will be going out six to nine times
you may notice that some a year instead of 12 to 14, resulting
trees
highway verges are being left to in a positive impact on the local growing
grow a bit longer and may look environment. You may notice the
wilder than usual. difference more in the summer Thanks to everyone
with cutting taking place once a who took part in our tree
As part of our efforts to increase giveaway and planted a
month rather than every two to
local biodiversity and wildlife sapling at home.
three weeks.
habitats, we have instructed our
grounds maintenance contractor Traditionally North Herts has had By nurturing a tree, you
John O’Conner to reduce the a relatively high frequency of grass have helped improve local
frequency of grass cutting in cuttings compared to other areas biodiversity and air quality,
some areas of our four main so this will bring us more in line and reduced your own
towns, Letchworth, Hitchin, with other carbon footprint to help
Baldock and Royston. With fewer councils. tackle climate change.
vehicle journeys taking place, the
Grassed One resident sent us this
move will also dramatically reduce
areas in lovely comment: "One of
the council’s contribution to
parks and your fantastic hazel trees has
carbon emissions.
cemeteries been happily planted in its
On average we’ll be halving the will not be new home (pictured), thank
frequency of grass cutting of affected. you for this great initiative."
certain highway verges, so vehicles
Check out the sensory trail
at Howard Park this spring
Have you taken your kids to the “I have been here before
new and improved Howard Park but I love the new stuff.
in Letchworth yet? My favourites are the mirrors,
they’re really fun.”
A wobbly bridge, concave
and convex mirror panels We worked with Groundwork
and sound cones – so you East on this project.
can hear the faintest whisper We regularly review how we
across the playground – help can improve our greenspace
form a brand new sensory trail and Howard Park – which
designed to stimulate the senses includes play areas for all ages
which include sight, hearing, and abilities – was identified
movement and balance. for improvements through
Additions to the play area consultation with residents.
also include a roundabout We have just carried out a
designed for older children greenspace survey which was
and a sand pit climbing frame, open to all residents to find
or giant sandcastle! out what you value most
and what our priorities for
Six-year-old local resident greenspace should be – the
Matylda (pictured) said: results will be published soon.
SPRING 2022 like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC OUTLOOK 9
Repair café @Hitchin
s p a c e s e t t o re t u r n
Hack h
on Saturday 19 Marc
New-look
website
You may have noticed that
our website has recently had a
makeover and been rebranded
Do you have something that Every year with our new logo and shorter
needs fixing? Prefer to mend thousands name (North Herts Council).
it than throw it away?
of repairable We hope you agree the visual
Following a successful event household items design of the new site is a vast
at Hitchin Hackspace back in
November, the Repair café @
go to landfill improvement on the old one. It
has been designed to be more
Hitchin Hackspace, in collaboration accessible than the previous site,
with Plastic Free Hitchin, will meaning it can be used by people
host its first event of the year on with a more diverse range of
crockery, housewares, bicycles and
Saturday 19 March 2022 from 11am. needs and abilities.
toys etc. Anything that’s broken
The repair cafe operates out of (which you can manage to carry
We’re also in the process
Hackspace, located at 67 Bancroft. on your own to the Repair Café) is
of reviewing and rewriting
The building was renovated using welcome and has a good chance of
information across the site, but
funds from North Herts Council’s getting properly repaired. If it can’t
we’re keen to get your feedback
Hitchin committee and locality be repaired on the day, you can
now. If you have any comments
budget from a Hitchin County get advice as to what needs to be
or come across any issues then
Councillor. North Herts Council done and how to attempt to repair
please get in touch (www.north-
are keen supporters of the cafe and it safely yourself.
herts.gov.uk/contact-us). You
has assisted the group with signage can send us your comments about
Book your repair online and enjoy a
for their events and promotion. a specific page by clicking on the
cuppa and a cake whilst you wait.
Every year thousands of repairable feedback link which appears at the
The event is also an opportunity for bottom of every page.
household items go to landfill
the community to get together, get
because their owners don’t have the Our new logo – four hearts
to know each other, help and learn
time, skill or tools to repair them. representing a flower and our drive
from each other!
The Repair Cafe is run entirely by for sustainability – was launched
If you have a talent for fixing alongside the new website and
volunteers and enables members
electrical, electronic or mechanical was designed in house. You’ll see
of the public to bring their
items, garden tools, bicycles, it being rolled out gradually across
damaged items for volunteers
textiles, jewellery or clothing and things like signs and vehicles as
to give them a new lease of life,
you’d like to help at the repair and when they need to updated
preventing thousands of repairable
sessions, please get in touch. or replaced, so as to avoid
household items from going to
landfill every year. For more information visit: unnecessary additional costs.
www.facebook.com/
Suggested items to bring to the
plasticfreehitchin1 or contact:
Repair Café include electrical
hitchinrepaircafe@gmail.com
appliances, clothing, furniture,
10 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022Support local good causes and
be in with a chance of winning
a weekly £25,000 jackpot!
We’re launching a Community Lottery as a fun and creative way
for local voluntary and community groups to raise much-needed
funds. The Community Lottery allows players to choose the charity,
voluntary group or community organisation they want to support
when they purchase their lottery ticket(s).
Tickets cost just £1 per week with 50p from every ticket sold going to a chosen
charity, voluntary group or community organisation across North Herts. As well
as supporting a good cause, players have the chance to win a weekly jackpot of
£25,000 if they match six numbers. Other weekly prizes are also on offer such
as £2,000, £250, £25, or three free tickets.
How to purchase North Herts
Community Lottery tickets
Visit www.NorthHertsCommunityLottery.
Council Meetings
co.uk where you will be able to choose a
good cause, set up a preferred payment
method and purchase a ticket!
All meetings are held at 7.30pm
If players do not wish to support a
specific organisation, they can still take unless specified below. Please
part and donate 50p of their ticket price check our website for venue details
to the ‘good causes fund’, which will be www.north-herts.gov.uk
distributed by North Herts Council via a
community grants scheme. DATE COMMITTEE
Are you part of a local good cause, 1/03/2022 Hitchin Committee
and interested in signing up? 2/03/2022 Standards Committee
Each organisation that signs up will 3/03/2022 Southern Rural Committee
receive a personalised webpage on our 8/03/2022 Royston Committee
North Herts Community Lottery website, 9/03/2022 Joint Staff Consultative Committee (11am)
as well as a range of marketing material
9/03/2022 Letchworth Committee
to promote and encourage your
supporters to play. 14/03/2022 Baldock Committee
15/03/2022 Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Visit www.NorthHertsCommunity
16/03/2022 Finance, Audit and Risk Committee
Lottery.co.uk to sign up online or
alternatively please contact support@ 17/03/2022 Planning Control Committee
NorthHertsCommunityLottery.co.uk 22/03/2022 Cabinet
or 01462 520015.
23/03/2022 Council
The first draw will take place on 31/03/2022 Planning Control Committee
Saturday 19 March. 20/04/2022 Planning Control Committee
Terms and Conditions apply. Visit: 26/05/2022 Annual Council
www.NorthHertsCommunityLottery.co.uk
SPRING 2022 like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC OUTLOOK 11Lights, camera, action!
From previous productions policy to encourage more film
including Dr Foster and The World’s and television companies to come
End, to the recent Landscapers to the area and to promote our
series on Sky featuring Olivia lovely District. Filming production
Colman, North Herts is the place can generate a great revenue
to be for filming! stream for the council and we
know residents love spotting local
The latest programme to hit TV
hotspots once productions air.
screens will be teen drama, Tell Me
Everything, featuring rising British North Herts offers a diverse
talent as well as the main council range of locations – rural
building in Letchworth! It’s due to settings, woodlands, picturesque
air on ITV2 soon. villages, historic market towns
and the world’s first garden city,
There’s always an exciting buzz
Letchworth.
when filming is taking place in one
of our towns or sites. We welcome If you are looking to do any
filming in the district and do all we filming in North Herts, we
can to ensure that any filming is would welcome your
carried out with as little disruption request via our website:
to residents as possible. We are www.north-herts.gov.uk/filming
currently working on a filming
Love your North Herts High Street
The pandemic has had a big effect economic and environmental
on our town centres, which is why benefits to be gained. The latest
we’ve been doing all we can to research2 reveals that for every
support local traders and those £1 spent with a local independent
working in the hospitality industry. business, between 50p-70p
circulates back into the local
In the lead-up to Christmas we
economy, that includes more across North Herts to encourage
launched a campaign to encourage
employment in the area. Heading shoppers to reuse shopping bags
residents to support their high
into town and supporting local when popping into town.
street, as part of our Welcome
businesses helps to cut unnecessary
Back project.1 1. Supported by the North Herts
mileage from delivery vans and
Reopening the High Streets Safely
To help boost sales for our towns’ goods being sourced from
and Welcome Back projects which are
traders we urged residents to overseas, which in turn reduces
receiving up to £264,340 of funding
support their high street and buy our carbon footprint.
from the England European Regional
Christmas presents locally. The
The campaign included a series of Development Fund as part of the
consumer shift to online shopping
free ‘Love Your Herts High Street’ European Structural and Investment
has been widely reported, however
bag giveaways, where we handed Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
if residents make the switch back
to town centres there’s many out free tote bags at events in towns 2. Independent Retail Month
12 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022Royston & Hitchin
community wellbeing days
from the North Herts Healthy Hub
FREE WELLBEING TALKS AND FAMILY ACTIVITY SESSIONS
Royston Hitchin
Westmill Community Centre, John Barker Place, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 2PG
Market Hill Rooms, Fish Hill, Royston, SG8 9JL
7 Mar - Fun with food for under 5’s
2 Mar - Messy Play for under 5’s
4 Apr - Fun with food for Easter for 1-10 year olds
16 Mar - Dance workshop for 1-4 year olds 9 May - (am) Movement to music for 1-4 year olds
30 Mar - Low impact exercise class for adults 9 May - (pm) Low impact exercise class for adults
6 Apr - Fun with food for Easter for 1-10 year olds Free NHS health checks for age 40 to 74 years
20 Apr - Pottery painting for adults Session times vary - please contact the hub for more info
4 May - Movement to music for 1-4 year olds and booking.
18 May - Low impact adult movement class Numbers are limited so must be pre-booked by emailing
healthyhub@north-herts.gov.uk or calling 01462 474111
Session times vary - please contact the hub
for more info and booking.
Keep warm and save money
With the rise in energy costs, did • biomass boilers
you know you might be eligible
• thermostats and heating
for help with the costs of energy
controls.
efficiency measures in your home?
Energy Efficient Home Scheme
You could save money, be warmer
01422 880100
and help fight climate change!
This scheme offers grants to
Warmworks households on low incomes and
0808 196 8255 means tested benefits. In some
This government funded scheme cases, qualifying homeowners and
is open to homeowners, private private renting tenants can get the
tenants and people in social rented full cost covered for:
accommodation, where the home
• first time central heating
has a low energy rating and a low
annual income. Measures include: • cavity wall and loft insulation.
• wall, loft and hot water tank Scam warning: Please be cautious Trading Standards advise not to do
insulation if you receive any phone calls, business at the door and don’t be
texts, emails or doorstep calls from rushed into
• double/triple glazing to replace any traders presenting themselves making a
single glazing to you. Our contractors may decision before
approach you if they think you are ensuring you
• energy-efficient doors
eligible, but they won’t make you are satisfied
• air source, ground source, and sign anything on the spot. You can they are
hybrid heat pumps then contact the provider or the legitimate.
council to check the details.
SPRING 2022 like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC OUTLOOK 13One day without genocide
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) Charlie, age 15, won the creative
takes place internationally writing with some dramatically
North Herts
every year on 27 January, the imaginative diary entries from heroes honoured
anniversary of the liberation of April 1945, written in the first
Community-minded residents who
Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest person of a concentration camp
have gone above and beyond to
Nazi death camp. It’s for everyone survivor. He dedicated it to one
make a real difference will be
to remember the six million of his relatives whose tank was
celebrated in March at the Chair’s
Jewish people murdered during the first to enter Bergen-Belsen
Community Recognition Awards.
the Holocaust and other mass concentration camp during the
genocide. liberation. Judges included Cllr Val Bryant, Chair
of the Council, representatives from
To help younger generations For more information visit
Willmott Dixon as sponsors, and
deepen their understanding of www.north-herts.gov.uk/HMD
Georgia Barrow, Editor of The Comet.
genocide and ensure that it forms
no part of their future, we invited Winners will receive
children and young people from a beautiful, engraved
across the district to enter a glass trophy and gift
competition, based on the 2022 voucher.
theme ‘One day’.
Find out who won at
The winning art pieces (pictured) www.north-herts.
were featured during the council’s gov.uk/awards
HMD event, in partnership with
North Herts Interfaith Forum.
14 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022WHAT’S
EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
ON
t his Spri n g
8 May
Ashwell at Home –
A day of wellbeing
Holwell
2-9 July
Open gardens, free workshops, Holwell Scarecrow Festival
Hitchin Town Hall Join Holwell’s 6th annual
live music, funfair. £8 adults
25 March, 8pm (under 18s free with paying Scarecrow Festival and vote for
80s vs 90s Pop Night adult) or £7 in advance your favourite scarecrow! All
8pm-midnight, £8pp (over 18s only). from the website, proceeds money raised goes straight to
Tickets on sale: wegottickets.com go to Ashwell Museum, The Garden House Hospice to
Church and School. support their incredible work.
Hitchin
www.ashwellathome.org.uk http://holwellscarecrows.org
14 May
Hitchin Eco Day Baldock
Kimpton
A fun day for the whole family
5 June 29 April-2 May
to explore sustainability. Shop Kimpton Art Show
eco-friendly products, learn about The Baldock Big Lunch
Baldock high street St Peter & St Paul Parish Church
environmental campaigns and An exhibition/sale of artwork from
www.baldockeventsforum.org.uk
have fun at the interactive activities. a wide genre of talented artists,
The event is a collaboration of Barkway part of Kimpton May Festival.
Plastic Free Hitchin and Hitchin BID. www.kimptonartshow.co.uk
7 May
Ashwell Barkway Village Market
5 March Church Lane
Ashwell’s Famous Flea Market Over 120 stalls including craft fair,
All sorts of weird and wonderful refreshments and entertainment.
things for sale. Free entry, £3 per adult. @barkwaymarket
tea/coffee available. on Facebook and Instagram.
Paddington comes to town!
TM
The brilliant touring exhibition from by Michael Bond – including Bond’s
the British Library, Paddington: typewriter used in the 1960s –
The Story of a Bear, is coming to and original illustrations of
North Herts Museum from 19 Paddington stories by artists
March to 26 June. Follow his trail including Peggy Fortnum,
of marmalade splats to explore David McKee and R.W. Alley.
his tales of adventures in this
Join us for a marmalade
educational and fun exhibition.
sandwich-fuelled trip down
Celebrate one of the world’s most memory lane – an average
beloved fictional characters over 60 visit lasts 30 minutes.
years on from when he was first
North Herts Museum is located in
introduced in 1958. Featuring over
Brand Street, Hitchin, open Tue-Sat
50 books, documents and original
10.30am-4.30pm and Sun 11am-3pm,
artworks, highlights include the first
admission is free.
edition of A Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond given to his parents, Visit: https://northhertsmuseum.org
a selection of memorabilia owned for more information.
SPRING 2022 like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC OUTLOOK 15Elections May 2022
Elections to North Herts Council will be taking place on
Thursday 5 May 2022 as well as some Town/Parish elections.
You must be registered to vote elections@north-herts.gov.uk. instead of the current system of
in order to have your say at these Alternatively, you can post them electing ‘by thirds’.
elections. If you are not already to Electoral Services, North
District councillors at North Herts
registered, the quickest and Herts Council, Gernon Road,
Council are currently elected ‘by
easiest way to do so is online, at Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3JF.
thirds’, meaning that elections take
www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Would you like to work at the place in three out of every four
The process takes only a few minutes
elections? years, with one third of councillors
- you just need your national insurance
being elected each time. The new
number to hand. Applications must be If you are interested in working for arrangement from May 2024 will
submitted before midnight on Thursday us at the elections either on a polling mean that all district councillors are
14 April 2022 to be able to vote on station or at the count please express elected at the same time for a
5 May 2022. an interest by emailing elections@ four-year term of office.
Voters have the choice of voting in north-herts.gov.uk with your
person at their local polling station, contact information, the role that The decision to move to whole
by post or by proxy. There will be you are interested in and any council elections as of May 2024 was
covid safety measures in place at the experience you have previously. made at an Extraordinary meeting
polling stations. We will add you to our staff of Council on 7 December 2021
database and contact you should and applies only to district council
If you would prefer to vote by post, a position arise. elections. Prior to the decision, a
the deadline to apply is 5pm on public consultation was carried out
The way you vote in district
Tuesday 19 April 2022. Postal Vote with 54% in favour of the change
elections will change in May 2024.
application forms can be downloaded and 46% wanting the system to
from www.north-herts.gov.uk/ From May 2024, district councillor stay as it is. To find out more visit:
voting-post-or-proxy and elections in North Herts will be held www.north-herts.gov.uk/
may be scanned/photographed once every four years (known as electoral-cycle-changes
and returned via email to ‘all-out’ or ‘whole council’ elections),
Voters have the choice
of voting in person at
their local polling station,
by post or by proxy.
There will be covid safety
measures in place at
the polling stations.
16 OUTLOOK follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC SPRING 2022You can also read
