AUGUST UPDATE

NHDC – Council Business Update

The Council Meeting on 21 July covered a range of important issues, many of which will have an effect on North Hertfordshire residents long after the current Civic Year: - The Council is preparing to respond to recent legislation to take into account Social Value in its tendering processes. This should make it easier for local businesses to sell goods and services to the Council - A report was accepted on the refurbishment of the North Herts Leisure Centre at Letchworth, costing in excess of £3 million, which should result in significantly improved facilities there - The ‘Corporate Objectives’ which sets goals and priorities for the district until 2021, centred around Promoting Sustainable Growth, Working with Communities and Living Within Our Means - Reports on projects such as Churchgate, Hitchin, and the North Herts Museum and Community Facility at Hitchin Town Hall, and from the Finance Officers Knebworth Post Office – New Look and Longer Opening Hours ========================================================= I was honoured to open officially the new-look Post Office in St Martin’s Road, Knebworth. The branch has undergone a major refurbishment and upgrade of the old post office, which has remained largely unchanged from a time before I moved to Knebworth in 1985. It will now open for longer hours, until 6pm on weekday evenings and until 5.30pm on Saturdays, so giving more time for residents to pick up un-delivered parcels and generally use the services without the need to go further afield. Knebworth Post Office also now has a new Postmaster, with Mohammad Miah recently taking over from Nicola Low, who had held the position for the last thirty years.

Neighbourhood Plan Working Party – Interested in being Involved?

I have a small number of volunteers offering to get involved in examining the feasibility of developing a Neighbourhood Plan for all (or part of) Knebworth Parish. If you would like to get involved, especially if you have any professional expertise or involvement with Planning legislation, then please get in touch with me using the contact details below. If there is sufficient support I hope to convene an inaugural meeting in the Autumn and would expect to work extremely closely with the Parish Council on development of any Neighbourhood Plan.