Chris blasts county over highways programme – open letter to Herts Highways

I have the following objections to the IWP (the highways ‘Integrated Works Programme’) in detail:

Alma Road/Victoria Street: this is urgent and cannot wait until 2015 – the road is self-evidently collapsing and is already dangerous to cyclists
Althorp Road: misspelled again. Also works are complete, as acknowledged elsewhere in the agenda
Bardwell Road: carriageway repairs needed but not listed
Beaumont Avenue: as discussed with officers on numerous occasions this needs reconstructing not thin surfacing
Granville Road: this has already turned to gravel and so needs doing in 2009 and not 2012
Hatfield Road bridge: identified from our own survey as needing doing urgently. It cannot wait until 2012.
Normandy Road: this is in a poor state and cannot wait until 2014
Ridgmont Road: this is in a poor state and cannot wait until 2014

I note also that the assurances given over Lemsford Road have been reneged on as I flagged up with senior council officials. None of you had had the courtesy to come back to me with an explanation as to why it on hold. This is totally unacceptable.

The following roads have been wrongly included in this division:
Cannon Street
Castle Road
Central Drive
Homewood Road
Kingsbury Avenue
New England Street
West View Road

Belmont Hill has been included in St Albans South

Chris White

COUNTY HALL SLAMMED OVER FAILURE TO MAKE EMERGENCY POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS

The Liberal Democrats have condemned the arrangements in place for the county council to cope with the effects of the postal strike, especially in connection with schools admissions applications.

Opposition leader Chris White said: ‘We suggested that they make arrangements with district councils to be drop off points for anxious parents.

‘We were told that the best county would offer was the ability to drop off at their offices in Stevenage or Hemel – totally useless if you don’t live in those towns.

‘There will be no possibility of dropping forms off at schools, at libraries – or at district council offices for that matter. They even suggested that parents use first class post!.’

He added: ‘This really isn’t good enough. Parents have the right to know that they will not lose out on school places because of industrial action. The county council should not be quite so stubborn.’

HERTS COUNTY COUNCIL HIDES ITS DIRTY WASHING

Herts County Council’s website and openness policy have come under fresh criticism today from the Liberal Democrats.

Opposition leader Chris White said: ‘I wanted to have look at the criticisms of the council made by the auditor last year. I searched the website to no avail and then got another person to do the same with a similar lack of success.

‘I finally contacted Herts CC officials who sent a link which shows clearly the unhappiness of the auditor. I am not surprised they don’t want the public to see the fact that they have fallen down over “timely, reliable financial reporting”.’

Extract from auditor’s report:

Qualified Conclusion
I have undertaken my audit in accordance with the Code of Audit Practice. In so
doing, I identified that Hertfordshire County Council did not have adequate
arrangements in place for preparing accounts that meet statutory requirements,
financial reporting standards and present fairly the financial performance and
position as at 31 March 2009.
Having regard to relevant criteria specified by the Audit Commission for principal
local authorities and fire and rescue authorities, published by the Audit Commission
in May 2008 and updated in February 2009, and the supporting guidance, I am
satisfied that, in all significant respects, Hertfordshire County Council made proper
arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of
resources for the year ending 31 March 2009 except that it did not put in place
adequate arrangements for:
• timely, reliable financial reporting which meets the needs of internal users,
stakeholders and local people.

Active St Albans

2 major programmes coming up that will help local residents get, and keep, active:

Play in the Parks: Play is integral to children’s enjoyment where they can develop their abilities and explore their creativity. This is an open-access play scheme that will operate over 10 sessions in 10 parks around the St Albans District during the October half-term. Daily sessions operate between 10am-12pm and 1.30-3.30pm. http://www.activestalbans.com/download/play+in+the+parks+2009+flyer

St Albans District 50+ Sessions: It only takes 30 minutes of physical activity a day to become fitter, healthier and happier. These 50+ activity sessions, on the 20th and 22nd October, are packed full of ‘come and try’ activities for all abilities who may be looking to take up a new or additional sport or recreational activity.
http://www.activestalbans.com/download/50+plus+games+flyer

Please let all friends and family know about these programmes and contact us on 01727 827667 for any futher information.

Highways latest update: Clarence Ward

Lemsford Road: the deadline for repairs has been missed again. Chris has asked why this is happening. The County Council is again claiming that lorry movements associated with the former Oaklands site on Lemsford Road prevent the resurfacing taking place. This is clearly nonsense and Chris has protested right up to county hall – another broken promise from Herts Highways.

Woodstock Road South: early ‘winter maintenance’ has been done – there is now some patching. But there is still no news as to when the resurfacing is going to take place.

Avenue Road pavements: these are in a terrible state and officials have promised to chase up.

Cavendish Road, Albion Road, Cecil Road: how many times do we have to make the simple request for some faded road signs to be replaced? How high can you count? Yet again – Herts Highways has failed to deliver. And the street light which has been burning the during the day has been reported countless times. It s now nearly a year since we first notified Herts Highways. But – it’s only money!

Swine flu update: note from District Council

Hertfordshire is seeing only a small incremental rise in cases of flu. Antiviral collections average between 80 and 120 daily.

The network of pharmacy antiviral collection points (ACPs) continues to expand to cover most primary towns within the county. Locally, these can be found at:

Borehamwood – Boots Chemist ( 9am to 6pm, Mon to Fri; 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday; closed, Sunday)
Harpenden – Topkins Pharmacy (9.30am to 6.30pm, Mon to Fri; 9.30am to 5pm, Sat; closed Sunday)
Hatfield – Asda Pharmacy (8am to 10pm, Mon to Sat; 10am to 4pm, Sunday)
Hemel Hempstead – Lloyds Pharmacy (8.30am to 9pm, Mon to Fri 9am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday)
Rickmansworth – Delite Chemist (10am to 6pm, Mon to Fri; 10am to 3pm, Saturday; closed, Sunday)
Stevenage – Asda Pharmacy (9am to 10pm, Monday; 8am to 10pm, Tues to Fr; 8am to 9pm Saturday; 10am to 4pm, Sunday)
Watford – Boots – Waterfields Retail Park, (8am to midnight, Mon to Sat; 11am to 5pm, Sunday)
Internet – Masters Direct Pharmacy (9am to 5pm, Mon to Fri)

Regarding vaccinations, subject to licensing, GP practices around the country will receive their first delivery of the vaccine from 19 October. The PCT is awaiting confirmation of how many doses of vaccine each patient will need, but planning continues on the assumption that two doses will be required.