 Councillor Paul de Kort has been re-elected Leader of the Council for the third year in succession.
Among the major issues he will deal with in the year ahead are the adoption of the Local Plan and the reorganisation of local government across Hertfordshire.
The other members of the leadership team confirmed at last month’s annual meeting of the Full Council are:
Cllr Helen Campbell: Deputy Leader, Chair of the Public Realm Committee and Lead for car parking, parks and leisure.
Cllr Edgar Hill: Vice-Chair of the Public Realm Committee and Lead for events, heritage, waste and recycling.
Cllr Giles Fry: Vice-Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee and Lead for resources.
Cllr Simon Johns: Chair of the Housing and Inclusion Committee and Lead for housing services and homelessness.
Cllr Sarwar Shamsher: Vice-Chair of the Housing and Inclusion Committee and Lead for equality, inclusion and community safety.
Councillor Keith Cotton: Vice-Chair of the Planning Policy and Climate Committee and Lead for sustainability and climate.
 Custom-built solar panels are to be installed at Verulamium Museum in St Albans to provide a supply of clean renewable energy.
The initiative follows the completion last year of a new sustainable roof.
This innovative design enhances the energy efficiency of the building and improves the surrounding air quality.
The Council, the Museum's owners, is undertaking the project as part of a commitment to tackle the climate emergency and reduce harmful emissions.
 A serial fly-tipper was ordered to pay £4,330 in fines and legal costs after dumping commercial and household waste near his London Colney home.
The businessman admitted depositing the rubbish which included a mattress infested with bed bugs, decaying food, paint, bait boxes and sharp spikes used to keep birds off surfaces.
Our environmental enforcement team decided to launch a prosecution at St Albans Magistrates Court because of the seriousness of the offence and the fact that it was the individual's third offence.
 St Albans Comedy Garden is back with a fantastic line-up from Wednesday 22 to Sunday 26 July.
Catch the finest comedians of the moment, along with bars and street food, in an atmospheric setting at Verulamium Park.
This summer features Jack Dee, Tom Allen, Sara Pascoe, Henning Wehn, Kyla Cobbler, Ross Noble and many more.
 Thousands of people thronged the City Centre to enjoy the St Albans Spring Festival – a free street party with entertainment for all.
The Festival, returning for its second year, was a celebration of food, community spirit and sustainability – and highlighted the District’s hospitality businesses and tourism offering.
Among the many attractions were live music, fun activities, arts and crafts, street performers and around 100 stalls selling takeaway food, drink and other produce.
The event, held last month, was organised by the Council and sponsored by St Albans Code Ninjas as well as St Albans and Harpenden Specsavers.
 Don’t miss out on one of the District’s most spectacular events – the annual Alban Day Pilgrimage and Festival.
The event, organised by St Albans City Centre BID and St Albans Cathedral, is being held this year on Saturday 20 June.
The festival celebrates Britain’s first saint, Alban, and his story is told by a vibrant parade of giant, 12-foot tall puppets. The procession starts at St Peter’s Church at 11am and finishes at the Cathedral Orchard.
At the Civic Centre plaza from 10am to 4pm, there will be family-friendly activities and performances from a variety of entertainers, including a jester. For more details and a timetable, click on the button below.
 Work is to begin this month by the Council on a further Local Plan (LP) for the long-term sustainable growth of St Albans District.
We are on track to adopt a new LP next month after more than three years of work.
In addition, the Government has now instructed the Council to start drawing up the next LP in response to major changes to its national planning policies. We are one of 39 local authorities ordered to do this.
The first stage will be the publication of a timetable, including key dates, with the goal of completing the LP by 2029.
Councillor Matt Fisher has been appointed the Mayor of the City and District of St Albans and will support two local charities.
He will raise money for St Albans Sea Cadets as well as Youth Talk and the theme of his civic year is Belonging Through Service.
Cllr Fisher is the City’s 482nd Mayor with the first appointed in 1553, and Cllr Juliet Voisey is the new Deputy Mayor.
The Mayor chairs Full Council meetings and represents St Albans District at a variety of civic and community events, often involving voluntary groups.
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 A careers event for young people aged 14 to 21 is taking place at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden on Friday 3 July.
Around 30 local employers, including the Council, will be in attendance along with education and training providers to give advice about jobs, careers and apprenticeships.
Individuals as well as parents and carers are welcome to come along from 3.30pm to 5pm after earlier sessions for schools. You can find out how to book a place by clicking the button below.
 Our partners at Veolia are inviting residents and community groups to bring their grass roots projects to life.
Applications are now open for the 2026 Veolia Sustainability Fund, offering grants of up to £1,000.
These can be projects that promote sustainability, protect the local environment, enhance biodiversity and strengthen communities.
A recent grant from Veolia, which provides recycling and waste treatment services, helped regenerate the rose garden by the Civic Centre as pictured above, with help from the community too.
To find out more, including the grant criteria, click on the button below.
 Women’s only yoga sessions are starting next month at Greenwood Park Community Centre.
The sessions for women of all ages and abilities are being held every Tuesday from 9.15am to 10.15am, costing only £6 per person.
Our leisure operator Everyone Active is providing the activity as part of its community programme and you can book a place by clicking the button below.
Yoga is recognised as a brilliant way to improve physical and mental health with the sessions also an opportunity to meet new people and make friends.
 Get involved in community litter picking to help keep your local areas clean and tidy.
We support organised litter picks by providing equipment such as litter pickers and bags. We also arrange for the collection and disposal of the waste.
You can check if there is a litter picking group near you that you can join, here.
If you are a litter pick organiser or are thinking of setting up one, you can request support and find out more information by emailing sustainability@stalbans.gov.uk.
Photo by Daria Trofimova on Unsplash
 Our Electoral Services team will be running this year’s household voter registration canvass over the summer and autumn.
During July, residents are asked to look out for canvass correspondence. Every residential property in the District will receive either an email or a letter as part of the canvass.
Not all properties will need to respond, and the email or letter will advise whether a response is required. If you do need to respond, please do so promptly.
Reminders will be sent in the autumn to any properties which are required to respond and haven’t yet done so.
The canvass plays a vital role in making sure that the electoral register is accurate and up to date. With local elections scheduled for May next year, it’s important that all residents check that their details are correct on the electoral register.
 We’re recruiting for a range of roles within our Legal Shared Services team!
These include opportunities for lawyers in specialisms such as planning, procurement, contracts, litigation and regulatory law. We are also recruiting legal assistants.
These roles offer the chance to work on diverse and important legal issues that support our local community.
If you’re looking to develop your career in public service within a collaborative and professional environment, we’d love to hear from you.
To apply and for more information on other job opportunities, click on the button below.
 A summer festival is being held at the Cottonmill Community Cycling Centre on Sunday 5 July, noon to 4pm.
There will be live music all afternoon from local artists and community choirs, fairground rides, a mini-steam train, a bungee trampoline, inflatables and circus acts.
Takeaway food and drink will be available and there will be stalls showcasing the products of local traders and small businesses. Entrance is free with a charge for some activities.
The fun event, now in its third year, is organised by the Sopwell Residents Association and sponsored this year by Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline, the Small Solar Company, Rise Legal, Herts Vision Loss and Lions International.
 Sarah Churchill: St Albans' Favourite, Wednesday 17 June, 7pm, St Albans Museum + Gallery. In-person tickets - £10, Zoom - £6.
Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1660-1744) is now best known for her intimacy with Queen Anne and rivalry with Lady Abigail Masham to keep the Queen’s favour. But her life was much more than this – an extraordinary one by any standards. This talk by Sarah's biographer Ophelia Field will put this famous rivalry into the wider context – including Sarah's little-known life in St Albans.
 Mini Mela 2026: Part of South Asian Heritage Month, Saturday 4 July, 11am – 3pm, Assembly Room, St Albans Museum + Gallery. Free.
Celebrate South Asian Heritage Month at this drop-in event, a vibrant Mini Mela inspired by this year's theme, Unity in Diversity. Join us for a relaxed festival where you can get involved in craft activities, henna, classical Indian dancing and more!
 NEW: Family Weekends at Verulamium Museum, Every Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 3:30pm. Included with admission price.
Entertain the family and learn about Roman life in Britain. Every weekend, we host free craft sessions where visitors can make something to take away. Plus explore our handling trolley, try some dressing up and design your own mosaic.
The crafts change each week so check our website for details on specific dates!
 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.
 Homeowners in the District can apply for grants of up to £30,000 to make energy efficiency improvements.
We have £1.5 million available to help finance enhancements to privately-owned houses.
The money was obtained from the Government’s Warm Homes Fund and will help cut harmful carbon emissions.
Around 80 homes will benefit with an average grant of around £15,000.
Improvements may include insulation, double or triple glazing, solar panels and low carbon heating systems such as air source pumps.
The Council is delivering the scheme in partnership with the National Energy Foundation. Click on the button below to see the eligibility criteria and how to register an interest.
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