Tell us what YOU think about the county council

Hertfordshire County Council has just started its budget consultation
process with residents for next years spending priorities. As part of
this consultation residents are being asked if they want spending to
stay the same or decrease. Residents cannot say ‘spend more’.

Chris White, Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader, said: ‘This
consultation is flawed. We all know times are tough but there are some
budgets that can be slashed, for example the self publicity budget,
for the sake of improved services. Everyone knows Hertfordshire’s
roads and pavements are a mess but residents can’t say in this survey
they want more spent on them.’

The Tory-run council also suggests as part of its survey that the
council may start charging for some services, which will disadvantage
low and middle income earners whilst the well off and those on
benefits will see no real change.

Chris added: ‘I would suggest that residents who wish their voice to
be heard on all the possible options visit our survey
http://herts.libdems.org/surveys/1/ which allows all views to be
expressed.’

Seeking to plug the gaps!

Local Lib Dems have complained to Three Valleys Water about the increasing number of water leaks around the district.

Local Lib Dem councillor Chris White said: ‘In one day alone I saw three leaks. Two at least had been marked up for repair – but nothing is being done.

‘The Three Valleys Water is yet again sitting back watching our roads disintegrate because of their shambolic repair programme. Pavements and road surfaces are becoming slippery.’

Lib Dem county councillor Rob Prowse added: Three Valleys Water need to get their act together. Their inaction is costing Herts Highways and us as tax payers because of the damage caused to roads. They plead poverty but are still able to give good dividends to their shareholders.’

Temporary Closing of various roads in Harpenden, Redbourn, Sandridge and St Albans

I have highlighted those closures which fall with the St Albans Central Division.

NOTICE is given that the Hertfordshire County Council intend to make an Order under Section 14[1] of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to prohibit all traffic from using the following lengths of roads:-

1. that length of Leyton Road, Harpenden from its junction with Leyton Green north westwards to its junction with Church Green, a distance of approximately 104 metres.
The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

Leyton Road, A1081 (St Albans Road, High Street) and Church Green

It is anticipated that this section of road will be closed between the hours of 9.00am and 6.00pm for 1 Sunday, sometime during the period 1 November 2009 and 8 November 2009, when signs are in place.

2. that length of Victoria Road, Harpenden from its junction with B652 Station Road north westwards to its junction with Vaughan Road, a distance of approximately 95 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

B652 Station Road, A1081 (St Albans Road, High Street), Sun Lane and Bowers Way
3. that length of Grove Avenue, Harpenden from its junction with Grove Road north eastwards for a distance of approximately 70 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

Grove Road, Pipers Avenue and Grove Avenue

4. that length of High Ridge, Harpenden from its junction with Roundwood Lane north westwards for a distance of approximately 70 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

Roundwood Lane, Wood End Road, Tuffnells Way, Ridgewood Drive and High Ridge
It is anticipated that these sections of roads will each be closed for up to 2 days, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 6 November 2009, when signs are in place.

5. that length of Watery Lane, Redbourn from its junction with Annables Lane south westwards and southwards to its junction with the A5 Watling Street/M1 (junction 9) roundabout, a distance of approximately 1432 metres.
The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

Annables Lane, Kinsbourne Green Lane, Luton Lane, A5183 (Redbourn Bypass, Dunstable Road) and A5 Watling Street

It is anticipated that this section of road will be closed between the hours of 9.00am and 4.00pm (Mondays to Fridays inclusive) for up to 1 week, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 30 March 2010, when signs are in place.
6. that length of House Lane, Sandridge from its junction with Woodcock Hill south eastwards to its junction with the Sandringham Crescent roundabout, a distance of approximately 1173 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

House Lane, B651 St Albans Road and Sandringham Crescent

It is anticipated that this section of road will be closed between the hours of 9.30am and 3.30pm (Mondays to Fridays inclusive) for up to 1 week, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 30 March 2010, when signs are in place.
7. that length of Abbey Avenue, St Albans from its junction with King Harry Lane south westwards to its junction with St Stephen’s Avenue, a distance of approximately 230 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

King Harry Lane, B4630 Watford Road and St Stephen’s Avenue

8. that length of Bedford Road, St Albans from its junction with B6424 Alma Road north westwards to its junction with Inkerman Road, a distance of approximately 163 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

B6424 Alma Road, Alexandra Road, Inkerman Road and vice versa

9. that length of Francis Avenue, St Albans from its junction with A1081 Harpenden Road westwards to its junction with Nicholas Close, a distance of approximately 206 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

A1081 Harpenden Road, Green Lane, Therfield Road and Francis Avenue

10. that length of Westfields, St Albans from its junction with Abbey Avenue north westwards to its junction with Mayne Avenue, a distance of approximately 398 metres.
The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

Westfields, Midway, Abbey Avenue, King Harry Lane and Mayne Avenue

It is anticipated that these sections of roads will each be closed between the hours of 7.30am and 5.30pm (Mondays to Fridays inclusive) for up to 1 week, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 30 March 2010, when signs are in place.

11. that length of Mile House Lane, St Albans from its junction with A1081 London Road south westwards and north westwards to its junction with B5378 Napsbury Lane, a distance of approximately 342 metres.

The alternative route for northbound traffic will be via:-

B5378 Napsbury Lane, Napsbury Lane, A414 North Orbital Road and A1081 London Road
The alternative route for southbound traffic will be via:-

A1081 London Road, A414 North Orbital Road, B5378 (Shenley Lane and Napsbury Lane)
It is anticipated that this section of road will be closed between the hours of 9.30am and 3.30pm (Mondays to Fridays inclusive) for up to 3 days, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 30 March 2010, when signs are in place.
12. that length of Cottonmill Lane, St Albans from its junction with Mile House Lane south westwards for a distance of approximately 530 metres.
The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

Cottonmill Lane, Watsons Walk, A1081 London Road and Mile House Lane

It is anticipated that this section of road will be closed between the hours of 8.00pm and 5.00am (Mondays to Fridays inclusive) for up to 2 nights, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 30 March 2010, when signs are in place.

13. that length of A4147 Folly Lane, St Albans from its junction with A5183 Verulam Road eastwards to its junction with A4147 Catherine Street, a distance of approximately 644 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

A5183 (Verulam Road, High Street), A1081 London Road, B6424 Alma Road, B691 (Victoria Street, Grimston Road, Stanhope Road), Camp Road, A1057 Hatfield Road and A4147 Catherine Street

14. that length of A5183 Verulam Road, St Albans from its junction with A4147 Folly Lane south eastwards to its junction with A5183 High Street, a distance of approximately 884 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

A4147 (Folly Lane, Catherine Street), A1057 Hatfield Road, Camp Road, B691 (Stanhope Road, Grimston Road, Victoria Street), B6424 Alma Road, A1081 London Road and A5183 High Street

It is anticipated that these sections of roads will each be closed between the hours of 9.00am and 5.30pm for up to 2 Sundays, sometime during the period 30 October 2009 and 30 March 2010, when signs are in place.

15. that length of B691 Victoria Street/B691 Grimston Road, St Albans from its junction with Beaconsfield Road south eastwards Station Way, a distance of approximately 170 metres.

The alternative route for traffic will be via:-

B691 Victoria Steet, Upper Latimore Road, A1057 Hatfield Road, Camp Road, B691 (Stanhope Road and Grimston Road)

It is anticipated that this section of road will be closed between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm for up to 2 Sundays, sometime during the period 22 November 2009 and 29 November 2009, when signs are in place.

The purpose of the Order is to enable highway improvement works to take place.
If you have any queries about the highway improvement works or the temporary road closures, please contact the Project Engineer concerned Christopher Rowelle tel. 01727 816000 at the Mid West Herts Hertfordshire Highways Area Office.

County Hall

Hertford 15 October 2009

Herts John Wood

SG13 8DN Director of Environment

County boasting about roads!

Local residents will have been shocked to hear the Tory-run County
Council boasting about its nomination for a partnership award for its
work on roads.
This is compared to the stunning silence when independent research
paid for by the county council itself showed that the majority of
residents were dissatisfied with the state of our roads, with nearly
one in four residents ‘Very Dissatisfied’.

The survey report itself stated: ‘Results from the Hertfordshire
Environment Tracker, also undertaken by ORS, highlighted a significant
decline in those satisfied with general road maintenance.’

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Liberal Democrat Opposition Spokesperson
on the Environment, said: “Talking to residents, rather than
contractors, we know the truth. Our roads are a mess, and the Tories
living in their ivory towers, are refusing to face this. There is
money being wasted: most recently we exposed that £1.3m had been paid
out in compensation claims on trips. Herts Highways also had to redo a
number of road schemes due to poor workmanship costing almost
£400,000. It’s far from the rosy picture of winning awards that the
Tories would like residents to believe!”

Swine flu update: note from District Council

Swine Flu Vaccination programme

A national public information campaign is planned for November onwards to explain to patients in the priority groups (see my update of last week) the importance of having the vaccination.

Hertfordshire

The PCT is seeing similar numbers of people collecting antivirals as last week – under 100 across the county per day. Nationally we know there has been a significant jump in the numbers of people using the flu service over the past week, but this increase is not currently being felt in Hertfordshire.

A number of further pharmacies have joined the expanding antiviral collection point (ACP) network, bringing the total number of ACPs in Hertfordshire to eleven. The local ACPs are at:

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)

The NHS in Hertfordshire, along with all other areas of the country, has agreed plans with the Department of Health to double critical care capacity, should it be required at the height of the next pandemic wave.

The Council continues to assess the position on an on-going basis, and weekly at the Chief Executive’s Board meeting.

Tory financial failings

The Auditor’s report for the Tory controlled County Council has shown
once again that when it comes to finances the Tory administration just
can’t get its act together – with the costs and risks falling on to
the shoulders of local residents. The Annual Governance Report has
been passed, but qualified once again, showing that the Auditors are
unhappy with the systems in place.

Cllr Paul Goggins, Lib Dem spokesperson on the Audit Committee, said:
‘The Tories have scraped through by the skin of their teeth once
again. The Auditor said quite clearly today: “If the council don’t
get it right next year the Auditor will consider using his statutory
powers next year.” What makes matters worse is that this has been
caused by the same concerns which were raised last year and which the
Tories assured us they would see fixed.’

Cllr Ron Tindall who was attending the meeting for the first time was
horrified. ‘The Tories appear to be presiding over a series of
inefficient and failing systems. We received some of the papers for
the meeting on the day and they then expected us to sign off all 172
pages of the Accounts. Even the Tories’ own portfolio holder said
that it was unacceptable to have the accounts qualified two years
running. So why has it happened again?’

Further revelations revealed that, despite the external auditor
seeking legal counsel the Tory administration had chosen to ignore
recommendations to amend the accounts with regards to half a million
pounds which should have been paid to the pension fund.

Cllr Allan Siao Ming Witherick said ‘I find it amazing that, when an
Auditor has stated quite clearly that “in order to remedy the unlawful
practice I recommend that” the Tories just say, “We’ll sort it out for
next year.” Well if the example of the asset management system, where
the Auditors are now threatening to use their statutory powers, is
anything to go by, then I am severely concerned!’

The Liberal Democrat opposition on the County Council have undertaken
to keep a close eye on this and have already asked for the
consideration of a topic group to scrutinise the systems to be
considered.

Editors Notes

The papers for the meeting which discussed the issues above can be found at:

http://www.hertsdirect.org/yrccouncil/civic_calendar/archive/Audit%20Committee_12

In particular attention is drawn to:

Item 2, paragraphs 17-20 which clearly states the actions that need to
be taken by the County Council.

And Item 3(b) Paragraph 2.2. which states that they won’t do it.

Lib Dems demand sign up to 10:10

The Liberal Democrat Opposition will be asking Hertfordshire County Council to sign up to the ’10:10′ campaign at its next full council meeting, on 13 October. This campaign is to pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 10% by the end of 2010. Individuals, companies and public bodies can sign up to this and take practical steps to reduce their carbon footprint.

Chris White, Lib Dem leader, says: ‘We asked the council to join the Nottingham Declaration a few years back and they agreed. Now we are asking them to take a real practical step over the next year, not just have a long-term aspiration.

‘Liberal Democrat councils up and down the country have taken this step, even though they are already well down the road of dealing with their carbon emissions. Now we want Hertfordshire to do the same.’

Individuals can sign up to this campaign and get practical advice on how to reduce their footprint by visiting http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/10-10

ENDS

Swine flu update: note from District Council

As of Friday 25th September 2009

In Hertfordshire, the number of people accessing the National Pandemic Flu Service for antivirals remains steady.

Vaccination programme

Agreement was reached this week on how the autumn swine flu vaccination programme will be delivered. In Hertfordshire it is estimated that 200,000 people fall into one or more of the priority groups and will be invited to receive their vaccination once the vaccine is available.

The priority groups for vaccination are as follows:

People aged over six months and under 65 years in current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups

All pregnant women, subject to licensing conditions on trimesters

Household contacts of people with compromised immune systems e.g. people in regular close contact with patients on treatment for cancer

People aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups. This does not include otherwise healthy over 65s, since they appear to have some natural immunity to the virus

Front line health and social care staff

Antiviral Collection Points

Asda Pharmacy, Hatfield

Opening hours: 8am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday; 10am to 4pm, Sunday

Boots Waterfields Retail Park, Watford

Opening hours: 8am to midnight, Monday to Saturday; 11am to 5pm, Sunday

Asda Pharmacy, Stevenage

Opening hours: 9am to 10pm, Monday; 8am to 10pm, Tuesday to Friday; 8am to 9pm, Saturday; 10am to 4pm, Sunday

Sanjivani Pharmacy, Hertford

Opening hours: 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; 9am to 12.30pm, Saturday

Masters Direct Pharmacy

www.mastersdirect.com

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Lloyds Pharmacy, Hoddesdon

Opening hours: 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; 9am to 4pm, Saturday

Rooneys Chemist, Tring

Opening hours: 9.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; 9.30am to 5pm, Saturday

Still time to give us your views on Shaping Our Community

Still time to give us your views on Shaping Our Community
www.stalbans.gov.uk

Residents are being urged to give their views on the Shaping Our
Community planning consultation before the close of the campaign next
week.
Hundreds of residents, business and community groups have attended a
touring public exhibition, ward meetings; visited the online survey and
picked up information from libraries and other information points. The
consultation, which opened in July, closes on Monday 28 September 2009.

Portfolio holder for planning, Cllr Chris Brazier is urging residents to
complete the questionnaire so their views can be taken into account as
the district council progresses the Emerging Core Strategy. This can be
done on line by visiting the council’s website
http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/planning/policy/Shap
ingOurCommunityConsultation.aspx or visiting the exhibition which is now
in the foyer of the district council offices.

“Throughout the district residents have attended meetings and
exhibitions to find out more information and express their views on how
the district should respond to planning challenges and opportunities. We
are now coming to the close of this consultation period and I urge
residents to complete their questionnaire, which can be easily done
online, by Monday, 28 September, 2009.”

Crucial issues affecting St Albans city and district, including
protecting the Green Belt while balancing the need to provide new
housing, jobs and leisure opportunities are part of the community
consultation exercise on the future planning strategy for the area.

People living and working in the district are being invited to have
their say on key issues that affect long term planning strategy. As well
as protecting the Green Belt, views are being sought on, for example,
whether St Albans city centre needs a new supermarket, the proposed
locations for schools and youth clubs and new transport measures aimed
at reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions. The consultation
will feed into work to produce the Local Development Framework – a set
of planning documents which set the direction of planning policy until
2026. The context for the document is set by the Sustainable Community
Strategy for the District, which has just been revised and is being
published at the same time. The priorities of the Local Development
Framework are taken from the Sustainable Community Strategy.

Cllr Robert Donald, leader of St Albans City and District Council,
commented: “Nine out of ten St Albans residents rate our district as a
good place to live. This consultation is an important opportunity to
help ensure the district continues to develop and flourish, maintaining
its unique mix of city, towns and villages, its urban and rural
environment and its diverse heritage, while providing new opportunities
to support the local economy and community.

“The council attaches great importance to protecting the Green Belt and
will continue strongly to resist any government requirement to encroach
upon it. It was for this reason that we successfully legally challenged
some of the housing numbers in the East of England Regional Plan earlier
this year.

“But residents need to be aware that despite this resistance, we have to
prepare for the possibility that the government will require an increase
in the number of new houses that have to be built in the district and if
this happens we may need to consider building in the Green Belt. So this
strategy also invites views about some of the difficult choices which –
if required to – we might need to make in future.”

Following the feedback, the council will revise the document and produce
the final Core Strategy. The aim is to submit the document formally to
the Government in July 2010 and to adopt it, following approval, in June
2011.