Revellers travelling home by taxi after a night out are being urged to check that the taxi or private hire vehicle they use is operating legally and has been issued with a licence by the local licensing authority.

Licensed taxis and private hire vehicles are generally a safe way to travel because they are regularly tested and are required to meet minimum safety standards by the local licensing authority, which for the St Albans City and District is St Albans City and District Council. Checks that the vehicle is properly insured will have also been made. The drivers will have also undergone medical and criminal record checks.

Licensed taxis can be hired immediately from a rank or hailed down, while private hire vehicles must be booked through a licensed operator.

It is easy to spot whether a vehicle is licensed or not as they will normally display a licence plate, either on the front or rear of the vehicle, which will include the licensing authority, the licence number and the vehicle registration number. The driver will also wear, or have on display, an identity badge, which will show their licence number and details of the local licensing authority.

There are some simple tips to follow to ensure that journeys by cab are as safe as possible. Passengers should sit in the back of the vehicle, keep their mobile phone where it is easily accessible and make a note of the number plate and driver’s licence number and, if uneasy, text them to a friend or family member. They should not use a cab if the driver appears to be under the influence of alcohol or does not seem to know the local area or the vehicle is in a state of disrepair.

Cllr Anthony Rowlands, who is also Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Support, said: “If you are travelling by cab, then take steps to ensure that it has been licensed to operate. The local licensing authority checks that licensed vehicles meet safety standards and are also properly insured in case of road accidents.”

If passengers have any concerns about a cab driver or the state of a vehicle they should report these to these to the local licensing authority. In the case of vehicles licensed by St Albans City and District Council they can call 01727 819453.

The position is largely unchanged from yesterday, save that the refuse teams are managing to get to more streets today. It will however be some days before all streets are done and the advice remains to put bins on the boundary on the correct day and then retrieve them only once they have been emptied.

The roads are very icy and we are following up some comments about particular areas with Herts Highways.

Given the weather conditions yesterday evening and the journeys that people have had in this morning we have decided to take different approach to keeping open today. It is expected to freeze tonight but not snow, however travel will still potentially be tricky. We will therefore be sending most staff home at 4pm and running a skeleton service on volunteers who have less tricky journeys.

What we could not have known yesterday was that the M1 and M25 would both have accidents and that traffic would be diverted into the District, which had a knock-on effect on the traffic and made travel even more dangerous. Some people did not get back until very late in the evening as a result of the combination of that and the weather, several people actually stayed overnight with friends or relatives.

More detail on services:

· We know of a power cut in Wheathampstead which is affecting sheltered housing and we have contingency and possible rest centre options ready in case they are needed.

· The refuse collection service is keeping to its schedule on roads that are accessible and then trying to eat into the backlog on those that are not. The key message for residents is that they should put the bin out on the normal day and leave it there until we have got to them. On that basis we should not have to make them wait too long.

· The market is continuing to be open with the stall holders helping get the latest falls out of the way.

· Leisure centres are open but we have had intermittent service on the Westminster Lodge pool because of difficulties with lifeguard cover, unsurprisingly Batchwood golf is not open.

St Albans City and District Council is pressing ahead with plans to enhance Verulamium Park and has allocated £220,000 towards the cost of making key improvements.

On 11 December, Cabinet gave the green light for work to begin on a list of projects.

These include:

· Improved entrances and boundaries at the Fighting Cocks, Belle Meadow, King Harry Lane, Holywell Hill and St Michaels, including the Labyrinth garden area;

· The development of signs and interpretation materials for the heritage and ecological sites in the park;

· An outdoor gym and recreational facilities for teenagers;

· The creation of a woodland walk;

· Repairs to the Roman Walls;

· Enhancements to the London Gate;

· Improvements to the lake and river;

· Research into the development of a cycle route;

· Repairs to the Roman walls;

· A feasibility study into an extension of the Verulamium Museum.

Cllr Shelia Burton, Portfolio Holder for Sport and Healthy Living at St Albans City and District Council, said: “Officers from the District Council and the Countryside Management Services will now press ahead with developing these projects which will enhance the park and help ensure that it remains a popular attraction for both residents of and visitors to St Albans.”

The projects form part of the Verulamium Park Master Plan and were identified as priorities for development following consultation with the Heritage Park Steering Group, which comprises a number of local interested parties, including the St Albans Civic Society and the Friends of Verulamium Park.

Note from Chief Executive of the district council

The one thing that is giving us concern is the opening of the market tomorrow. We are going to do our very best to get this open, especially given that it is the last weekend before Christmas, but we cannot guarantee a full service. The market is usually assembled at 3-5am and an overnight frost will make this hazardous and the snow may prevent the stall erectors, and indeed stall holders from attending.

We are getting the market as clear as possible and gritting it today, in the hope that we will be able to have as normal a service as possible. The only alternative was to cancel which the whole team felt was definitely not the right decision.

Other services, particularly Culture & Community Development, are checking their stock piles of salt in case it is needed for clearance.

The document for St Albans Streetscape Design Manual is now on the Council’s web site for public consultation. You too may be interested in reading the document and making comment.

http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/Streetscape-Design-Manual.aspx

The consultation is being done using the web site to save on paper, but if you find it easier and more convenient to have a paper copy then please let me know and I will arrange for one to be produced and sent out to you.

I am concerned as any other resident about stories in the media about the theft of a laptop containing over 14,000 postal vote details. My data was also stolen.
The theft appears to have been from within the secure section of the building and the data was password protected twice over although not encrypted.
Lessons for the future:
– the council should look at whether this data should be fully encrypted
– policies on the use of laptop and their storage when unattended should be reviewed without delay.
Further thoughts:
– the council lost no time in writing to everyone affected: it held its hands up rather than pretending that it was not a matter for concern
– there is no evidence of particular carelessness on the part of any member of staff (it wasn’t stolen from a car for instance or left on a train): that said, any theft of data is unacceptable and so changes in procedure must be made
– there is nothing unusual these days about laptops being used for confidential data, provided additional precautions are made: modern working methods require their use
– it remains unlikely that the data could really be used for personal fraud, not least because we have all been alerted.
What should you do?
– as ever be vigilant: if people approach you in a way which makes you suspicious do not give anything away. If you think someone intend you to be the victim of a fraud, contact the police.