Lib Dem Cllrs have been battling to save tree in Birklands Meadow from being felled. This started when County council workmen turend up to clear the centre of the fireld from self seeded tress. Local residents soon sae that they were actually chopping down trees that the county council through their own Countryside Management Service had helped them to plant.
The residents got in touch with the Lib Dem Cllrs, the work was stopped and they promised that they would consult with residents before any future work was done.

Refuse and recycling services are expected to be severely affected by snow on Monday. An update on this will be posted on Monday morning at 9.30am. The refuse and recycling crews, if they are unable to make collections, will be out clearing snow and gritting pavements. Verulamium Museum and the

The tuition fees storm has generated a lot of words but very few have actually looked at the new policy. Lib Dem MP’s have come under critisism for not keeping the pledge they made. I too have criticised them for not voting against the fees increase. They were unwise to sign the pledge in the first place, but having made a promise they have to keep it.

Part of the pledge was to introduce a fairer more progressive policy for university fees and funding. I believe that the new policy meets this part of the pledge. The bottom line, I believe, is that if a graduate under the new system earns around £25,000 per year they will pay back their fees at £7 per week. The loan expires after 30 years and if their earnings stay at a just the minimum level over the 30 years they will pay around £11,000. Only slightly more than the £9,000 they will currently have to pay up front. There is also extra provision for grants to encourage students form poorer backgrounds.

I can therefore see why some MP’s decided that this was a policy that they should support. It will also show them that pre-election promises are very dangerous.

St Albans City and District Council is to investigate a number of possible improvements to St Albans markets, including the addition of an evening weekday market, new attractive stall covers and a bicycle delivery scheme.

Cabinet agreed a plan of action to improve the markets held in the City at its meeting on 13 July, following the presentation of a Study of St Albans Street Markets.

The Study was commissioned as part of the Council’s work on implementing the District Vision, which sets out a long-term strategy for the evolution of St Albans City and District.

It makes various recommendations about how to improve St Albans markets, including investigating:
• the possibility of an evening market;
• the scope for additional special events;
• the feasibility of a scheme for the delivery of purchased goods by bicycle;
• the introduction of additional stalls in the areas around Civic Centre and Drovers Way;
• the introduction of new stall covers;
• additional seating, as part of plans to enhance St Peter’s Street;
• re-designing the layout of the market so that stalls with a similar product range are placed in the same area;
• the feasibility of a partial closure of St Peter’s Street to vehicles;
• improved marketing and publicity.

The Council has already begun work on some of the recommendations made in the study, including monitoring categories of goods for sale, quality vetting the stalls, reviewing stall positions to ease bottlenecks, improving recycling and composting arrangements and extending busker performance licences.

Consultation with market traders, local retailers, members of the public and relevant Council officers was carried out before the proposals were drawn up.

Cllr Sheila Burton, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage at St Albans City and District Council, said: “This Study will help the Council improve the St Albans markets so that they continue to draw in shoppers who contribute to the economic health of the City centre.

“On behalf of the Council, I would like to thank the market traders and local retailers for taking part in the consultation as part of the Study.”

St Albans plays host to weekly markets on Wednesday and Saturdays and to a Farmers’ Market, which takes place on the 2nd Sunday of each month in St Peter’s Street, St Albans. There are also continental markets held in the City Centre from time to time.

The following notices of road closures for resurfacing have neen issued. 

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:-

that length of Central Drive, St Albans from its junction with Beechwood Avenue north eastwards to its junction with Oakwood Drive, a distance of approximately 306 metres.

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.

Don’t miss “Rejuvenile” – A celebration of life from an older person’s perspective. 16 July, the Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans. FREE entry.

A group of older people from the local community are currently enjoying discovering their creative talents through drama workshops. Working alongside Hilary Dawson and Sarah Mackay of Buskin, the group are devising an original piece of theatre to be performed in St Albans next month.

The weekly sessions incorporate drama based games, improvisation and bringing to life personal memories and stories. Props and artworks required for the show are being designed and made by group members utilising a range of recycled materials. The workshops have become a high point in the week for participants, providing friendship, fun and creative expression.

The show, REJUVENILE, is a celebration of life from an older person’s perspective, exploring reminiscence, wisdom and the experience of ageing in contemporary society.  By putting older people centre stage, the piece aims to challenge popular stereotypes of what it is to be an elder today.

The performance will take place between 11.30am and 12.15pm on Friday 16 July at the Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans. Admission is FREE and everyone is welcome.

If you are a young person aged 11-19 (or up to 25 if you having learning difficulties or a disability) there are two websites to help you find all kinds of advice, help and information.Click on

http://www.channelmogo.org/

• services to help you with problems,
• advice about jobs and courses
• competitions with great prizes and lots of opportunity to have your say about how things can be improved for young people

Go to http://www.mogozout.org/

• activities and events in your area and across Hertfordshire – some that are just fun and some that can also develop personal skills.

Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime minister Nick Clegg has announced the date of a referendum on political reform. May 2011 will give everyone the opportunity to decide if they want to change to Alternative Votes or stick with first past the post.

Clegg also announced another Lib Dem policy to reduce the number of MPs in the commons.

This does show that the Lib Dems in coalition are putting Lib Dem manifesto commitments into practice

The secretary of state has overturned the planning inspectors decision to allow the appeal.

This is wonderful news for everyone in St Albans and my congratulations go to local councillors, Strife, and St Albans District Council and indvidual residents. Unfortunately the Council will have to pay some expences but that will be a small price to pay.

On the 17 June 2010 the Government announced that it was withdrawing funding for the free swimming programme for swimmers aged 60 years and over and 16 years and under. The two year initiative was due to run in the District from 1 April 2009 until 31 March 2011, but the funding has been cancelled from 1 August 2010 as part of the Government’s review of spending.

St Albans City and District Council is not in a position to meet the ongoing costs of the programme without Government funding, which amount to approximately £123K per year, so the initiative will have to be withdrawn.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Portfolio Holder for Sport and Leisure at the District Council, said: “We intend to minimise the impact in the short-term by extending the free swimming programme for those aged 16 years and under until the end of the summer holidays and continuing free swimming for the under 5’s on an ongoing basis. This will enable youngsters to continue to enjoy free swimming over the forthcoming school holidays which would not otherwise have been the case.”