Batford Springs nature reserve, Lyddekker Park and other assets are to be transferred by St Albans City and District Council to Harpenden Town Council subject to final contractual details being agreed.
At a meeting on Thursday, 19 January 2012, the District Council’s Cabinet agreed to transfer the ownership and management of the following assets to the Town Council:
• Batford Springs Local Nature Reserve
• Porters Hill Park, off Pickford Hill, Batford
• Park Hall Community Hall in Leyton Road, Harpenden
• Lydekker Park and car park, Harpenden (subject to agreement of terms).
The move follows a request by Harpenden Town Council to transfer the four assets listed above as well as Westfield Recreation Ground, which Cabinet agreed to in July last year. Most of the assets are already managed, but not owned by the Town Council.
Rob comments, ‘I support Localism and allowing local people to run local facilities. What the Conservatives have done is to go one step further. They have handed over valuable assets that have some revenue and capital value over to Harpeneden Town Council. They have not asked for anything in return or any undertakings that they won’t build on this land just as they have on Westfield allotments.’