ANNUAL REPORT 2007
Next month,we as a Parish Council cease and elections take place for a new Council. Although the majority of councillors are seeking re-election I must pay tribute to those who have decided not to stand.
Councillor Mrs Turner who as Chairman of the Newsletter Committee has been very involved in producing Around Radlett since Autumn 2005. She has also been very active in all other aspects of the Council and will be missed.
Councillor Bill Deem who with his knowledge of finance and insurance, has provided sensible advice, when we could have spent your money needlessly and Councillor Mrs Caroline Griffiths who although she was only co-opted in February 2006 has been a hard working member of the Council.
Councillor Ron Worthy, Chairman
April 2007
During this year we have concentrated on providing facilities for the younger members of the Parish. We were informed of a scheme run by Barclays Bank to provide sports facilities for young people; we submitted an application and to our surprise were selected to receive the funding. I hope you have all seen the new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at Phillimore Recreation Ground. The old Tennis Courts as I reported last year were in very poor condition and by this grant we now have a new tennis court and an area for basketball, 5 a side football and netball. Hertsmere Borough Council will be running a series of training sessions with coaches, for various sports, this summer and we hope that this will provide a useful focus for the energies of our young people.
Another scheme we have managed to tap into is the Parish Environmental Action Plan (PEAP). This provides funding via the Heritage Lottery Fund for specific projects to enhance the Parish. The pond at Letchmore Heath was desperately in need of care and attention and has now been completely renovated. The next project for a (PEAP) is the landscaping of the land between the Car Park entrance and Watling Mansions. This was always a pet project of Ann Reith before she died and we would like to complete it in her memory. However nothing is as simple as it seems, for we have found that the land is owned by both the Miller family and Hertsmere Borough Council. The Miller family would appear willing to allow us to use the land but Hertsmere are being more difficult.
Another major project is to enhance the area in the children’s playground known locally as the castle. This is becoming very run down and we are looking at creating something quite different.
I am sure you have read in Around Radlett the problems we had this year with the electricity supply for the Christmas Lights. Thanks to the hard work of Councillor John Howley this now appears to be resolved. We are intending to increase the quality of the lights each year which should mean an even better display this Christmas.
The drought this summer did create a small problem when I suggested that the water supply to the allotments should be restricted. In the event this was not necessary but it did encourage a dialogue between the allotment holders and for us to look seriously at improving the water supply. We are waiting for an estimate for the cost of new pipes from Three Valleys Water.
The Head of Grounds Maintenance Mr Fred Hills is very concerned regarding the condition of many of the Horse Chestnut trees around the Parish and is monitoring them on a regular basis; the end result is, many of them may have to be removed.
Finally I would like on behalf of the entire Parish, to thank the hard working ground staff who keep the hanging baskets and flower beds looking so good even during the hot weather of last summer. To maintain the Parish in an acceptable condition is not just their responsibility, but that of all of us. If you see your property being damaged report it and if you see litter pick it up and put it in a bin, we cannot always rely on others to do the job for us.
Cllr. Ron Worthy
The Precept for the financial year 2007/08 was set at £502,049: an increase of 3.6% on the previous year. Expenditure is forecast to be about £578,000 and income is expected to be £76,000.
In 2004 the Council resolved to build its reserves within five years to cover three months’ expenditure. That would be about £145,000 and it is encouraging that the level has already been achieved. At the end of March 2007, the Parish Council’s reserves stood at £210,000, which includes £30,000 that is designated for repayment of a loan from Hertsmere Borough Council.
The Council employs its Clerk and five Grounds staff full time, plus three office staff and the caretaker of the Youth and Community Centre who are on part-time contracts.
The main item of capital expenditure in the past year was £15,000 towards the cost of the new Multi-Use Games Area at Phillimore Recreation Ground.
John Howley
April 2007
Boundaries and Planning Committee
The Boundaries and Planning Committee continues to meet fortnightly throughout the year to scrutinise all planning applications for development throughout the Parish. We have continued to have alternate afternoon and evening meetings for the convenience of councillors and Parish staff.
In the past year we have reviewed 334 applications for planning consent in the Parish, an increase of 4%. The development at the former Quadrant works in Watling Street of 16 townhouses and 12 flats, 6 being affordable housing, is proceeding rapidly, most of the units being sold off-plan. The building at Wall Hall continues with many units now being occupied.
The number of applications received for the demolition and rebuilding of older properties has increased, most of the activity now being concentrated in Newlands Avenue. We continue to fight for the retention of smaller properties and for the increase in the number of lower cost housing for the young and the elderly.
We have recently responded to the draft Hertsmere Planning and Design Guide which is intended to secure higher standards of planning and design in Hertsmere for those planning extensions and small alterations to their home as well as those proposing new housing and commercial developments. We also responded to Hertsmere’s Issues and Options report. Several members of the committee attended a presentation on the redevelopment of the Harperbury Hospital Site and forwarded our concerns regarding strain on the existing infrastructure and the ‘knock-effect’ on Radlett.
We attended a meeting held in the Council Chamber at Hertsmere Borough Council regarding the proposed Rail Freight Terminal at Park Street and spoke against the proposal. We have had a meeting with the developer and have liaised with other Parish and Borough Councils in the area to ascertain the extent of the impact on Radlett and shall continue to strongly oppose the application in its present form.
We still continue to press for strong enforcement of planning permission.
Again, I would like to thank my fellow Councillors for their much valued work on a very demanding committee. I would also like to thank our administrative officer, Roberta Floate, for all her support and for the very able way in which she assists residents who come with concerns relating to planning matters, and to the officers in the Planning Department at Hertsmere Borough Council for their assistance.
Councillor Elizabeth Wackrow
Chairman, Boundaries and Planning Committee
April 2007
Youth and Community Centre Committee
The Youth Centre has quite a full schedule of bookings currently, as it is used most of the time during the day and evenings, as well as most weekends. On this basis, we break even with the income from rentals just covering the costs of operating the Centre. This year, so far, we do not have any bookings for the summer holiday play schemes, which have run in some previous years, so if anyone is interested in running such a scheme, we have the time and space available.
The Youth Centre is ideal for children’s parties and we charge £60 for a party finishing before 6pm in the evening. This is very competitive and one of the cheapest hall hire charges in the area.
This year the car park has been re-asphalted and we have replaced the soft seating in the rear quiet area of the building, which was looking rather decrepit with some new, comfortable modular seating. During the winter we have unfortunately had problems with the heating system but this has now been rectified and it is all running well.
Prices have increased from 1st April 2007 in line with inflation by about 5%, which covers the last 2 years, as we did not have an increase last year.
I would like to thank Jan Adams, the Deputy Parish Clerk, for her hard work in taking the bookings and day-to-day liaison with the users, and Reg Carrott, our hard working caretaker.
Councillor Mrs Viv Charrett
Chairman, Radlett Youth and Community Centre Committee
April 2007
Last year’s Radlett Festival consisted of two events; a classical outdoor concert and the traditional Sunday Fair. The concert was held at Phillimore Recreation Ground on a lovely sunny summer’s evening with about 500 Radlett residents enjoying a picnic and Pimms together with their children and families. The Sunday Fair was equally enjoyable, lovely weather and over 1000 villagers having fun with the stalls, entertainments, dog show and all the traditional events. Once again we have to acknowledge the enormous contribution made by the Hare Krishna Community at Bhaktivedanta Manor, without whose help we would not be able to do nearly so much.
In 2005 we made £3600 for local charities, in 2006 we made £8500, £5500 from the concert and £3000 from the Fair. Half the proceeds from the Concert went to the Peace Hospice Charity. Of the rest, so far, a little over £1000 has been spend on a new electronic keyboard for the Radlett Centre for children to practice on and for use at the many musical children’s events at the Centre. We are currently working through options for the remainder of the money, ranging from a teen shelter to various alternatives of play equipment at Phillimore Recreation Ground.
This year, the Festival will not be operated by the Parish Council for the first time. Having got it up and running, the Parish Council has passed the responsibility over to a new team, headed by Vicky Churchill. This year there will just be the Radlett Fair on Sunday June 10th, but with lots of exciting events and arena acts, as well as the fun fair, stalls, food, dancing and lots lots more.
Please come along and make it great success!
Councillor Mrs Viv Charrett
Radlett Festival Committee
April 2007
The Footpaths Sub Committee has the aim of bringing together various parties who are interested in the upkeep and preservation of the footpaths, bridleways and other rights of way in the parish.
We monitor the state of footpaths and co-ordinate the reporting of issues to the Countryside Management Service at Hertfordshire County Council.
The committee also works with the Parish Paths Partnership that makes grants to Parish Councils for the upkeep of footpaths. In the past six years we have secured grants to fund maintenance work on our paths, which has been undertaken by the Parish Council ground staff.
In 2006/07 there have been no notable problems in maintaining paths in the parish. We welcome comments from residents on the state of paths e.g. overgrowth, condition of stiles and gates which we pass to the relevant authority to rectify.
I would like to thank all the committee members, particularly Geoffrey Smyth (who replaced Dr David Slater) of the Radlett Society & Green Belt Association, Brian Hyde of the Roundbush, Patchetts Green & Aldenham Conservation Society and David Bagon of Hertsmere Healthy Walks who have regularly provided vital knowledge of the footpaths in the parish.
Councillor David Lambert
Chair, Footpaths Sub Committee
April 2007
The Parish Council has produced four editions of its Newsletter "Around Radlett"
during the past year. The overall cost was approximately £8,336. This was reduced to a net cost of £6,536 by income from advertisements. We increased the charge for advertising by a small amount. We currently have a waiting list for those wishing to advertise. We do not want to increase the number of advertisements in each issue. This year each edition has had 20 pages – four more then before and we now have a matt rather than a gloss finish which we feel is easier to read.
We have tried to include this year all aspects of the Parish Council’s work, from the Recreation Grounds, Radlett Youth and Community Centre, Planning, Waste, Recycling and Transport. Articles this year have covered such topics as Radlett Carnival 1930s style, Aldenham Church, the Factory Field, and the History of Scouting in Radlett. Programmes for the Radlett Centre and local societies have been included and news of our local cricket and rugby teams, and the achievements of local people.
Each Edition has been delivered by the Royal Mail to all addresses in the Parish of Aldenham including the "Bird Roads" in Garston. Hertsmere Print Services have continued to print Around Radlett for us. Next year will see three Editions in the Summer, Winter and Spring. The Autumn edition being replaced by an updated Parish Guide. This is being edited by Philip Eastburn.
I would like to thank Jan Adams, the Deputy Parish Clerk for all her hard work in making sure each edition happens, and also my fellow councillors on the Newsletter Committee and Philip Eastburn for the Guide. I would also like to thank all those who have written the articles for us on all aspects of the parish both past and present.
Councillor Fiona Turner
April 2007
Radlett and Aldenham International Friendship Association (RAIFA)
It has been another busy year for RAIFA. I must thank the members of the RAIFA Committee for their work through the year, without which nothing would happen at all.
Lautertal, Germany
The major event of the year was the visit by 35 members of our German twinning organisation, APEG, in September to celebrate 25 years of twinning between the Parish of Aldenham and Lautertal. The visit packed in a ride on the London Eye and a tour of Tate Modern, a concert by Michael Harvey at Delrow, a reception hosted by the Parish Council at the Radlett Centre and culminated in an anniversary dinner at Porters Park Golf Club. Looking at some of the pictures of this visit I was struck by how good the weather was once again – I am sure Radlett has an image in Lautertal of being a perpetually warm and sunny place!
Louveciennes, France
Another notable event last year was the participation of the Aldenham Pumas in an Under Elevens football tournament in Louveciennes. This event was a great success and I hope sets a good example for the kind of events for young people that we want to encourage in future.
Once again we were represented at the Louveciennes Fete des Fleurs (Festival of Flowers) in September. This year it was Georgina Thornton, a pupil at Queens School, who was our Maid of Honour for the Festival Queen at this colourful annual event.
Social Events
Our social events were very successful both in getting members together and for raising funds. The New Year's Party and Wine & Nibbles event both went down very well with members as in previous years. A new event, the Quiz Night, was also very popular and we hope to repeat it again this year.
Looking forward
There are no major exchanges due this year. However we have invited a small number of families with young children from Louveciennes to visit Radlett in May.
Last year, with the support of the Parish Council, we started a search for a possible new twin, looking particularly at Central and Eastern Europe. Surprisingly quickly the name of Dunaharaszti, near Budapest in Hungary, was suggested by a Radlett resident who previously lived there. I have since exchanged letters with the Mayor of Dunaharaszti who seems very keen to establish links with us and has now invited me to visit him later this year. This all seems very promising and it will be very interesting to see how this develops in future.
Clive Glover
Chairman, RAIFA
March 2007