New eco-friendly equipment is being used to maintain the District’s parks and green spaces.
John O’Conner – our grounds maintenance contractor –has switched from petrol-driven machines to battery-powered ones.
The move is in line with our commitment to tackling climate change by cutting emissions to net zero across the District by 2030.
Among the all-electric equipment is an all-terrain vehicle for park patrols, two vans and a JCB excavator for digging and heavy-lifting work.
There is also battery-powered hand-held equipment including strimmers, leaf blowers and hedge cutters.
Councillor Helen Campbell (pictured above, 2nd from left), Chair of our Public Realm Committee, was shown the machines in action on a recent visit to Verulamium Park.
|
 Sporting legends Harry Redknapp and Colin Jackson were the stars of an open day at Harpenden Leisure Centre.
They talked to residents and staff while viewing the facilities which include a pool, cycling studio, upgraded gym and the new FORTIS studio which holds group exercise classes using the latest technology.
The leisure centre was rebuilt by the Council as part of a £20 million project and opened in September 2021.
Our leisure contractor Everyone Active has been holding a series of exciting open days this month at all four of our leisure centres including Westminster Lodge and Batchwood, in St Albans.
This has allowed individuals and families to view and try out all the fantastic activities on offer.
The open day at Cotlandswick, London Colney, will take place on Saturday 28 January with details to appear on the centre’s website.
Image: Hurdler Colin Jackson, an Olympic silver medallist, furthest to the front, with former football manager Harry Redknapp, back row 6th from left, with Harpenden Leisure Centre staff.
 St Albans Mayor, Councillor Geoff Harrison, is to host an annual service to commemorate victims of the Holocaust and other genocides.
Residents are welcome to attend the event from 6pm on Sunday 29 January at St Albans City and District Council’s Chamber, in the Civic Centre, St Peters Street.
The service will be addressed by local rabbis and feature moving stories about Holocaust survivors with candles being lit in memory of those who perished.
Normally, the service is held on Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1945.
However, this year the 27th is a Friday when the Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, starts at sunset. To avoid a clash, the service will be on Sunday.
Anyone wanting to attend the Holocaust Memorial service should register by Friday 27 January by emailing mayoralty@stalbans.gov.uk or calling 01727 819544.
More information about Holocaust Memorial Day can be found here.
 A single bus journey on most routes across Hertfordshire will cost no more than £2 this winter.
The Get Around For £2 campaign is backed by the Government and aims to provide some relief from the cost of living crisis, providing families with affordable bus travel.
It is also intended to encourage people to choose public transport over private vehicles, cutting harmful emissions by saving as many as two million car journeys nationwide.
The scheme runs until Wednesday 1 March. You can find out more information including which bus operators are taking part in the scheme here.
 Healthwatch Hertfordshire – an independent health and social care charity – is carrying out research on how the cost of living crisis is affecting residents.
They are trying to establish the impact on people’s health and wellbeing as well as their finances.
To do so, they are asking people to take part in an anonymous survey that asks questions about their experiences, views and concerns.
It is hoped the results will determine where support and services are most needed.
The survey runs until Friday 31 March, only takes a few minutes to complete, and can be found here.
 Invisible Threads is a new exhibition about connecting places, people and time itself.
Herts Foto Forum members have used this concept to inspire new photographic work with themes including the fraying thread of memory between our past and present.
The exhibition runs until Sunday 12 March at the Keeper’s Galleries and is free.
Our Henry Moore exhibition, Drawing in the Dark, has attracted interest nationwide. It has united the largest collection of coalmining drawings by Moore from his stint as a World War Two artist.
He made a series of drawings from observing miners at work at Wheldale Colliery, in Castleford, Yorkshire. The drawings demonstrate the back-breaking labour miners endured as part of Britain's war effort and also reveal new insights into Moore’s life and art.
The exhibition runs at the Weston Gallery, St Albans Museum + Gallery, until Sunday 16 April and is free.
Image: detail from At the Coal Face (1942) © the Whitworth, The University of Manchester.
|
Our Museums team are hosting a number of creative workshops next month ranging from printing to soap carving to a sketching masterclass.
For details about how to become involved and to find out what else is happening at the Museum + Gallery and Verulamium Museum, check out our website.
|
Voters at this year’s local elections will need to show photographic ID at polling stations for the first time.
The new rule, intended to prevent voting fraud, will come into force for the District, Town and Parish Council elections on Thursday 4 May. It will also apply to General Elections from October.
You should make sure in the run up to the elections that you have one of the accepted forms of ID which includes a passport or a driver’s licence.
A full list of accepted ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of ID will be able to apply for free ID online.
If you require help with this, you can contact our electoral services team on elections@stalbans.gov.uk or 01727 819294.
|
Our Community Lottery raises money for good causes throughout the District.
Tickets for the weekly draw cost £1 and at least 60% of revenues go to good causes locally.
There is a chance to win the £25,000 jackpot every week and you can also choose which good cause to support.
Local community groups, sports clubs and charities can sign up to become one of the good causes.
They will receive 50p from every £1 that their supporters buy with a further 10p going into a central fund.
You can find details about how to buy lottery tickets or apply to become a good cause here.
|
 We are supporting Our Street Party and Playing Out – two campaigns to encourage people to close their street for a party or for regular gatherings.
St Albans District was the street party capital of Hertfordshire last year with more than 150 parties taking place.
In addition, more than 30 streets have applied for multiple Playing Out sessions that allow children to play outside in traffic-free roads.
Street parties and gatherings help build community spirit, giving neighbours of all ages the chance to meet each other and chat.
The District’s branches of Our Street Party and Playing Out are holding free information sessions on Zoom next month. These will cover how you can close your street for a one-off street party or close it more regularly for outdoor play and socialising.
You can find details about how to book a place here.
 Are you an experienced Town Planner looking for short-term casual work?
Our Development Management Service is inviting applications for individuals to work for us on a casual basis to supplement our team.
We are looking for talented individuals with experience in considering applications for minor and major developments. Ideally, you will be a member of the RTPI with some development management experience post qualification. Flexible working options are available.
For an informal discussion regarding these opportunities, please contact Sarah Ashton, Development Manager, on 01727 814634. Further information regarding short-term casual opportunities can be found here.
 We are proposing to replace the Code of Practice used to regulate busking in the City Centre.
Our plan is to introduce two codes - one for days when the Charter Market is in operation and another for non-market days.
You can look at the proposals in detail here and give your view by email to judith.adamson@stalbans.gov.uk by midnight on Monday 20 February.
All feedback will be considered before any final decisions are made.
Households are asked not to let cardboard put outside for recycling to get wet. Please ensure it is in a container or sheltered in some other way.
If card or paper becomes saturated, it may be rejected for recycling and go to landfill instead.
Our waste contractor Veolia's crews are having to deal with very high levels of recycling and waste in the wake of the festive season.
This has led to more frequent trips to tip sites, causing delays to some collection times. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
|
 Mosaic Lettings is a Council-run service for landlords looking to rent out properties.
It will complete tenant background checks, property inventories, inspections and an end-of-tenancy clean for free.
We will also provide a bond deposit of up to two months’ rent and a similar sum if the property is empty and re-let through us. There is also a £200 cash bonus when we let your property.
Interested landlords should contact mosaic.lettings@stalbans.gov.uk or 01727 814674.
Last month’s cold snap has caused an increase in potholes appearing on the road network.
The number of pothole reports in Hertfordshire was up 600% in December 2022 on December 2021.
You can report any potholes you see to the highways authority, Hertfordshire County Council, here.
|
|
