 Councillor Chris White, the Council's Leader, has issued a warning about the impact on the Council's finances of tough economic conditions.
He told a Full Council meeting this week: "The current economic climate is affecting our residents and it is also affecting public finances, including this Council’s budget position.
“Inflation is driving up the cost of energy we use to deliver our services. Service contracts are increasing in line with much greater than anticipated inflation.
“These two examples are the result of the way the economy has changed since the Council’s budgets were prepared last year.
“Those two factors alone are likely to cost in excess of £0.5m in the current financial year which will then carry on into the Council’s base budget for next year, where we already have a gap to close.”
Cllr White said the cost of borrowing was also rising and added: “These factors are outside of our direct control, nonetheless they will have a very real and significant impact on our finances.
“With Officers, we are looking at what the various options are as we work to close the gap in our budget for this year and next."
 A number of charities and other organisations offer free help to manage your money and any debts you may have.
Citizens Advice St Albans can offer advice on personal finance.
St Albans Community Bank is a not-for-profit, community-led organisation that is an alternative to a commercial bank. It can provide loans at fair rates as well as help with building savings for the future.
Step Change is a charity that has helped almost 25,000 people become debt free. It enables people to find solutions to any debt they may have and supports them as they deal with the issue.
The Government’s Money and Pensions Service aims to improve people’s financial wellbeing.
Its MoneyHelper website offers free and impartial guidance on a range of issues such as how to manage bills, track your spending and cut costs.
A range of useful information can be found on our website with links to various sources of local, regional and national support for people worried about the rising costs of living.
These webpages are updated regularly to bring you all the latest information.
Warmer Spaces provide people struggling to heat their homes with somewhere to get warm and enjoy a little company.
Our partners at Communities 1st have created a directory of warm spaces while organisations can register a space that they are opening for community use.
This initiative is in response to the recent rises in the cost of energy bills.
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 Services on the Thameslink rail line will be severely disrupted in November due to the construction by Network Rail of a new footbridge at St Albans City station.
As a consequence, a busy railway bridge on Victoria Street will be closed to traffic for almost three weeks, causing disruption.
There will be no trains running between Luton and London St Pancras on two weekends. This will mean there will be no services from Harpenden and St Albans City.
Instead, passengers will be offered slower replacement buses which will operate between Luton and West Hampstead, calling at all stations.
The disruption will affect people travelling into London on Remembrance Sunday on 13 November. The other days involved are Saturday 5, Sunday 6, and Saturday 12 November.
Network Rail is closing a busy section of Victoria Street, between Beaconsfield Road and Station Way, to traffic from Saturday 29 October until Thursday 17 November to allow for the works. There will also be occasional closures of this section to pedestrians to allow for crane work.
Diversion signs will be in place to point to alternative routes. Ridgmont Road Station Car Park will be shut from Monday 31 October to 17 November.
The footbridge is being built at St Albans City to ease platform congestion. Network Rail is carrying out other works next month as well, including the upgrading of overhead power lines.
Anyone wanting more information is asked to contact Network Rail online or call their helpline on 03457 11 41 41.
 Everyone is welcome at pop-up events we are holding to celebrate Older People’s Day.
There will be opportunities to find out about how older residents can keep safe and well, get connected and stay independent.
Council officers will be on hand to explain a range of services including housing and benefits while representatives from the Police, Trading Standards and the Fire Service will be in attendance.
Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Age UK and other groups which work with older people will also be present.
You can drop in for a chat and free refreshments will be available. The events are at:
- Caledon Community Centre, Caledon Road, London Colney on Tuesday 25 October from 11am to 2pm.
- Redbourn Village Hall, High Street, on Thursday 3 November from 9.30am to noon.
 Getting your COVID-19 and flu jabs offers the best protection against these serious illnesses and stops the spread of the viruses.
You can find information about walk-in clinics for the latest COVID-19 vaccinations here.
Alternatively, you can the book on the NHS’s website while you can book the flu jab here.
 You can show your support for local charities by taking part in the St Albans City and District Community Lottery.
The lottery launched earlier this year and a growing number of community groups and charities are benefiting.
Tickets cost just £1 with 50p going to a good cause of your choosing. There is a weekly draw with a top prize of £25,000.
You can play the community lottery or sign up to it as a local group to raise funds here.
Among the good causes which are receiving support are mental health, sports, heritage, arts and disability.
The winners of our annual Schools in Bloom contest have been presented with their awards.
We hold the competition to encourage children of primary school age to take an active interest in the environment.
The prizes for the winners and runners-up included a mini-greenhouse, seed tray and compost. All other entrants received a goodie bag. The results were:
Crafting Nature: artwork made entirely from natural materials. Winner: Bowmansgreen Primary School, London Colney; runner-up: The Lea Primary School and Nursery, Harpenden.
Plant to Plate: growing fruit or vegetables showing how the produce is used. Winner: Watling View School, St Albans; runner-up: St Adrian's Catholic Primary School, St Albans.
Scrapyard Scarecrow: using recycled material to make a scarecrow to highlight an environmental issue. Winner: Sauncey Wood Primary School, Harpenden; runner-up: Bowmansgreen Primary School.
Super Sunflowers: growing the tallest sunflower. Winner: Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School, St Albans, 3m; runner-up: Wheatfields Infant and Nursery School, St Albans, 2.7m.
The Wilder Award: supporting the Wilder St Albans Project by encouraging wildlife. Winner: Roundwood Primary School, Harpenden; runner-up: St. Helen's CE Primary School, Wheathampstead.
Water for Wildlife: creating garden features that can provide water for wildlife. Winner: Crabtree Junior School, Harpenden; runner-up: Wheatfields Infant and Nursery School.
Sustainability Award: demonstrating the most sustainable practices overall. Winner: The Abbey CE VA Primary School, St Albans; runner-up: High Beeches Primary School, Harpenden.
Pictures: top, the winning Crafting Nature entry; right, the winning Super Sunflower.
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 We're planning for the long-term future of South West Herts with other local authorities - and want to hear from you.
The Realising our Potential document sets out the issues and opportunities involved in creating a Joint Strategic Plan for this area.
We want to hear from as many people as possible and you can give your views on this important consultation here until Friday 4 November.
The Joint Strategic Plan will set out policies for the years to 2050 on topics such as climate change, environmental protection, employment, housing and infrastructure.
 We employ dozens of staff each year to help us run important local and national elections.
We're looking for people to work with us with on elections being held next year for District, Town and Parish Councils.
To work at an election, you must be over 18 years of age, have a national insurance number and have the right to work in the UK
You cannot have campaigned on behalf of a candidate or party, nominated a candidate, or have a personal relationship with an elected representative or candidate.
If you're interested, please contact elections@stalbans.gov.uk. More information is available on our website.
We have created a new disabled bay in the City Centre to give greater access to Blue Badge holders.
Up to five parking spaces are now available in Chequers Street, close to the HSBC Bank branch, for the use of less able motorists.
The initiative is part of our commitment to improve accessibility to key areas of the District.
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Twenty-eight new trees are to be planted in Rothamsted Park to further enhance the natural environment.
This follows the removal of a line of 14 Lawson Cypress trees that were adversely affecting a nearby block of flats.
Those trees were twice the recommended height and the flats’ developer has agreed to fund their replacement with a more appropriate beech hedge.
The 28 new trees, which will also be paid for by the developer, will be planted elsewhere in the park.
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There is still time to have your say in the Council's car parking survey for the District.
The results will be used to develop an eco-friendly strategy for future years.
We want to hear your views by Tuesday 25 October. You can access the survey here.
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 The Enjoy St Albans Food and Drink Festival Award winners were announced at a ceremony earlier this month at St Michael’s Manor.
The Festival, now in its 15th year, is organised by us with the help of a steering group while SA Law and St Albans BID are the sponsors.
The awards promote the District’s food and drink businesses and highlight the contribution they make to the local economy. The winners were:
Restaurant of the Year: DavVero Italian Restaurant, The Quadrant, Marshalswick.
Best Pub or Bar: The Engineer, Southdown, Harpenden.
Best Café: The Potting Shed, Carpenter’s Nursery and Farm Shop, Sandridge.
Best Food or Drink Shop or Market Stall: Buongiorno Italia, Lattimore Road, St Albans.
Best Takeaway or Street Food: Peru Sabor, Charter Market.
Best Local Producer: Carpenter’s Nursery.
Best Newcomer: Punchin’ Palooka, Verulam Road, St Albans.
Kate D’Arcy Award for Customer Service: Charlie Powell of Charlie’s Coffee, London Road, St Albans.
We have been supporting Recycle Week along with our waste contractor Veolia.
The annual event runs until Sunday 23 October and as the top recycling authority in the country, we have been raising awareness of the issues involved.
Recycling makes a huge difference to the environment by conserving precious resources and reducing the amount of energy we use.
You can find out more about Recycle Week here.
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 A fireworks display is to be held at Verulamium Park with money raised going to charity.
St Albans Cathedral is organising the event with the display being produced to Elvis Presley music by Luton-based firm Fantastic Fireworks.
Gates open at 6pm on Saturday 5 November with the display starting at 7.30pm. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Cathedral Box Office.
This public display started over 30 years ago to reduce firework accidents at home and has raised over £850,000 for local and national charities.
This year’s nominated charities are Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, Emmaus, the Living Room and the Cathedral.
- We are promoting the use of low noise fireworks because loud noise can distress dogs, cats and other animals as well as some vulnerable people. We are also encouraging people to attend organised displays rather than hold firework events of their own so that others are not taken by surprise by the disturbance.
A list of fireworks displays around the District is available on our website.
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