Major improvements have been made to a popular 450-metre stretch of the River Ver trail in St Albans.
The footpath between Holywell Hill and Cottonmill Lane was restored and the pedestrian bridge that crosses the river was replaced.
Both the path and bridge are now accessible to people with buggies as well as other users.
St Albans City and District Council, the leaseholder for the land involved, gained £164,000 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund to finance the work.
The Council appointed Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside Management Service to oversee the project.
Photo: Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the Council's Public Realm Committee, inspects the new bridge.
Luxury ice cream firm Darlish is to become the latest tenant of the prestigious Jubilee Square development in St Albans.
The company will move into the Pavilion, just off Victoria Street, before Easter.
Darlish owner Laura Dawson says they will offer customers cafe-style produce such as hot drinks and cakes as well as their famous ice creams.
Jubilee Square is a Council development which has regenerated a formerly run-down part of the City Centre.
It comprises 93 new flats, including 33 social rent properties, and 5,000 square metres of commercial space.
Some 94% of the office space has either been leased or is under offer with confirmed tenants including Co-Space and a global bank.
Photo: Darlish's Laura Dawson with the Council Leader, Councillor Paul de Kort, at the Pavilion.
Say hello to Elizabeth Akinyanju – one of St Albans Charter Market's growing number of artisan traders.
She launched her Natural Spa Beauty stall at the Wednesday market in September last year and is now planning to trade on Saturdays too.
Elizabeth makes her own products from natural ingredients such as essential oils and butters that she sources from suppliers in Norfolk, Surrey and Scotland.
Her range includes face and hand skincare creams, soap, aromatherapy diffusers and scented candles.
She said: “I have had great local support for my business and I love the feedback. One customer told me my diffuser had changed the whole atmosphere of her house – that made my day.”
Congratulations to teenage gymnastics star Hollie Goodwin who has been crowned a winner at a Everyone Active’s prestigious Champions Awards.
Hollie, 13, of Harpenden, triumphed in the Young Athlete of the Year category at an awards ceremony in Sheffield hosted by athletics legend Colin Jackson.
The accolade follows a sensational 12 months during which she was crowned a world age group champion as well as British junior champion.
Hollie has been supported by the Sporting Champions scheme run by Everyone Active which manages Harpenden Leisure Centre on the Council’s behalf.
 More than 40 businesses attended an annual summit held by the Council to discuss the District's economic future and plans to encourage growth.
The event took place earlier this month at the Civic Centre and was hosted by the Council Leader, Councillor Paul de Kort.
The other speakers were Lucy Gravatt, of Hertfordshire Futures, Liza Armstrong, of Hertfordshire Growth Hub, and William Stokes, Chief Executive of Co-Space.
There was also a lively questions and answers session with the panel and opportunities to network. Businesses can sign up to our newsletter by clicking the button below to keep in touch with Council activities and issues affecting them.
Our housing tenants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC) will need to update their UC Journal from Monday 6 April.
They will be asked to check a number of details and submit some new ones, prompted by a To Do message headlined Confirm Your Housing Costs.
It is important that you complete this task so that your Universal Credit is worked out correctly.
More information about UC accounts will be available soon at the webpage below.
You will be able to recycle Tetra Pak containers from next month together with aluminium foil, tubs and trays.
These should all be put into your black mixed recycling bin for fortnightly collections.
Black bin - mixed dry recycling including glass, cans, plastic and, from April, Tetra Pak, aluminium foil, tubs and trays.
Boxes - paper and cardboard. Must be kept dry and folded to a manageable size.
Food caddy - all raw and cooked food, bones, meat and plate scrapings.
Brown bin/purple sacks - all non recyclable waste.
Green bin - garden waste, a subscription service running from 1 July to 30 June each year.
Weekly kerbside collections - you can place small electricals or textiles in separate bags and place by your bins.
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St Albans City and District Council elections are taking place on Thursday 7 May for one seat in each of the 20 wards.
Poll cards will be issued in late March. Please check your card to see which polling station you should attend or for information about your postal or proxy vote.
To vote at a polling station, you will need an approved form of photo ID.
The deadline for changing or cancelling a postal or proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April.
You can find more information, including how to apply for a postal or proxy vote, by clicking the button below.
Our annual giveaway to residents of garden compost returns this year on Sunday 29 March.
You can come and collect up to three free 40-litre bags from our waste contractor Veolia’s depot at Sandridge Gate Business Centre, St Albans Road, AL4 9XR.
The giveaway starts from 7am and we have around 10 tonnes to distribute on a first come, first served basis. You should bring proof of address to show you are a District resident.
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Applications are open for our summer internship programme - a fantastic opportunity for graduates to gain hands-on experience within a local authority setting.
Over the course of 13 weeks, you will be fully immersed in the work of the Council, gaining an understanding of how local government serves and supports the people and communities it works for.
The programme is designed to help you strengthen your professional development, equipping you with the skills and insight that could open doors to a rewarding career in public service.
Applications close on Friday 20 March. To apply or explore other opportunities, click the button below.
We have published our strategy for tackling and preventing homelessness over the next three years.
It includes five priorities, such as the early identification of households at risk, and the many actions that we propose to take to achieve our goals.
The strategy was developed in partnership with other public agencies, voluntary organisations and people with relevant experiences.
We will continue to work with them to ensure the strategy is monitored and remains responsive to any needs that may emerge.
Almost 6,000 responses were made to a public consultation on proposals for changes to parish and town council arrangements in the District.
This includes proposals for the creation of a new parish council for the unparished area of St Albans and a separate one for Highfield.
The abolition of Harpenden Rural Parish Council, with the area becoming part of Harpenden Town Council, has also been proposed.
A total of 686 people contributed to the consultation by completing an online questionnaire or by sending in their views by email or post.
In addition, 5,169 households took part in local polls in Harpenden Rural Parish, Highfield and the unparished area of St Albans.
All the feedback will be analysed and a report submitted to the Council's Strategy and Resources Committee on Tuesday 23 June.
There is still time to give your views on a consultation on proposals to change how local government is structured.
Under Government plans, Hertfordshire’s current two-tier system of district and county councils will be replaced by new unitary authorities.
At present, the county council delivers one set of services, including social care and roads, whilst district councils provide another set such as planning and social housing.
Proposals have been put forward for two, three or four new unitary authorities covering the county.
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Enjoy some free family fun and laughter over this Easter holiday with an Easter Hats Trail provided St Albans City Centre BID.
The trail challenge involves finding ten hats at City Centre locations and answering ten questions on a trail map.
You can pick up an entry form at St Albans Museum + Gallery’s information desk and return it to their special post box with the trail running from Saturday 28 March to Sunday 12 April.
The winning entry will receive a £50 St Albans Gift Card and two runners up will each receive a £25 card.
Take advantage, too, of the BID’s Easter Bunny cut-out photo props at Heritage Close shopping precinct. You can share your pictures on Facebook with @enjoystalbans.
CSI Verulamium Experience, Friday 20 March, 7pm, at Verulamium Museum
A terrible crime has been committed at Verulamium Museum and we need your help to solve it.
Join us for this immersive, interactive evening led by The Forensic Experience.
Using forensic techniques and equipment, filmed suspect interviews and recreated crime scenes, can you and your friends work together to discover the suspects and solve the crime?
This event will include a pay bar and tickets priced £40 can be booked on the Museums' website
Draw with Rob, 27 March to 20 September, Weston Gallery, St Albans Museum + Gallery, Free
Join us for a celebration of the artwork of Rob Biddulph, best-selling author and illustrator whose books include Blown Away, Odd Dog Out, Kevin, Show and Tell and the Peanut Jones series.
In the exhibition, you can view a wide selection of Rob’s amazing drawings, ranging from Post-it notes he put in his daughter’s packed lunch box to the original illustrations from his Guinness World Record breaking #DrawWithRob online art classes.
Explore Rob’s world and, with the help of Peanut Jones and her magical pencil that makes anything she draws come to life, see what you can create yourself at this engaging and interactive exhibition.
The last artwork of a three-year community project to brighten up St Albans City Railway Station has been revealed.
An embroidered textile quilt (pictured above) was installed in the waiting room of platform one. It was made by The Quilting Sisters, led by artist Sian Fenwick, who are based at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre.
Other works on display include six mosaic panels beside the taxi rank, created by the Daylight Club from New Greens and year two pupils from Fleetville Infant School. The platforms feature photos of the St Albans South Signal Box taken by ex-offenders from HACRO.
Chris Blanch from St Albans Arts Team has been collaborating with marginalised community groups to deliver the Your Station, Your Community initiative, funded by Govia Thameslink Railway.
 St Albans Healthy Hub is your local centre for health and wellbeing information, advice and support.
You can get help with many issues including how to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, become more active and manage money.
The organisations involved include Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Mind in Mid Herts and many more. You can find more information on the Healthy Hub webpages.
HAPpy Camps are back, and bookings are now open for the Easter school holiday.
Children and teens living in Hertfordshire who get benefits-related free school meals can attend these free holiday activities.
Contact your school now for your booking code to secure your free place. Camps are running from Monday 30 March to Friday 10 April with SEND options available.
Celebrate World Health Day by taking part in a range of activities at Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre on Tuesday 7 April.
Our leisure operator Everyone Active has organised a free community health event for people of all ages.
The programme runs from 9am to 1pm and includes free health checks, gym taster sessions and community stalls.
Whether you want to get active, check your health or just enjoy a great day out with family and friends – there will be something for everyone.
Representatives from Parkinson’s UK, Diabetes UK and Dementia UK will be present.
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