View from meadow area (North West) towards the new leisure centre.

NEWSPREMIER

NEWSNEWSNEWSPREMIERPREMIER

NEWSNEWSNEWSCommunityDECEMBER 03 2009

Historic St Albans District: a premier community www.stalbans.gov.uk

Westminster Lodge,in St Albans, is to bereplaced with an

exciting new leisuredevelopment.

Cabinet for St Albans City andDistrict Council gave thegreen light to the new leisurecentre, to be built adjacent tothe existing WestminsterLodge, following a publicconsultation held during thesummer.

The new development willinclude a 25m pool, a 17mlearner pool, a fitness suitewith 200 stations (including a spinning studio), twoexercise studios, a climbingwall, a four court sports hall,a crèche and soft play area, adedicated youth facility and acafe/bistro.

In addition to a sauna, steamroom and spa pool, the fullscale Spa facilities could

include hot rooms, aromasteam rooms, a scentedsauna, mud treatments anddifferent water basedtreatments, similar to thosein Roman baths.

Cllr Sheila Burton, PortfolioHolder for Sport and HealthyLiving at St Albans City andDistrict Council, said: “Thisdevelopment will not onlyimprove the leisure facilitiesavailable to local residents,

but will also attract visitorsfrom further afield, helping tocontribute to the economicregeneration and sustainabilityof the city’s tourism market.”

The design will form the basisof a planning applicationwhich is due to be submittedto the Council in January2010. Construction work isexpected to begin inNovember 2010 and the newleisure centre is due to open

in Spring 2012. It isanticipated that the existingWestminster Lodge LeisureCentre will remain open untilthen when it will be closedand later demolished.

The Council owned St Albans city centre carparks (run by NCP) areFREE after 6.30pm and allday Sunday throughoutthe year. In addition, onThursdays in December,the following car parksare also free after 4pm:

• London Rd • Civic Centre Basement • Gombards • Bricket Rd North

Westminster Lodge,in St Albans, is to bereplaced with an

exciting new leisure

NEW

Snow stopper We hope it won’t happen but just in case…In the event of adverse weather conditionsaffecting the collection of refuse and recycling,please see updates posted on the Councilwebsite at www.stalbans.gov.uk and atwww.recyclingforapremier.com. There will alsobe a pre-recorded message on the Council’sContact Centre number 01727 819285.

Westminster Lodge gets go-ahead

Council Laptop Theft Some residents have beenaffected by the theft of alaptop from Council officescontaining informationabout postal voters. TheCouncil understands thatresidents will be concernedabout this matter and isseeking to be as open andresponsive as possible. We

have written to everyoneaffected, and set up a helplineto call on 01727 819291 or819294 during office hours.Answers to frequently askedquestions can be found atwww.stalbans.gov.uk. Seethe ‘In Focus’ box on thehomepage. A policeinvestigation continues.

Free parking this Christmas

CoCoCoCoCoCoCoCoCommuniuniNEWSuniNEWSuniuniuniuniuniuniuniuniNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSuniNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSmmmmmmmmmm tytytytyNEWSPREMIERmmmmNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSmmmmmmNEWSmmNEWSmmNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWStyNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSunitytytytytyty

then when it will be closedand later demolished.

Free parking this Christmas Free parking

www.stalbans.gov.uk

• Gombards • Bricket Rd North

www.stalbans.gov.uk

• Bricket Rd North

PREMIERCoPREMIERCoPREMIERCoCoCoCoCoCo tyNEWStyNEWStyNEWSNEWSNEWStyNEWStyNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWStytytyty

• Civic Centre Basement

• Bricket Rd North• Bricket Rd North

Why not pay yourCouncil Tax online?

RailfreightLatest

Residents haveresponded in theirthousands to

St Albans City & DistrictCouncil’s Shaping OurCommunity planningconsultation which randuring the summer andearly autumn. More than3,000 written responseshave been received.

The consultation soughtviews on crucial issuesaffecting the District such asprotection of the Green Beltand the potential location offuture development. Interim

findings will be published inJanuary on the Council’swebsite.

Cllr Chris Brazier, PortfolioHolder for Planning andConservation at St AlbansCity and District Council,said: “We would like to thankall those residents who haveresponded to theconsultation and voiced theiropinions on what the Districtshould look like in the future.The consultation was broadand asked residents to givetheir views on where theythink housing development,

schools, healthcareprovision, transport servicesand retailing should belocated in the future.”

The consultation will feedinto work to produce theLocal DevelopmentFramework – a set of planning documentswhich set the direction of planning policy until2026. More information is available atwww.stalbans.gov.uk

Residents haveresponded in theirthousands to

St Albans City & District

Grants for loft andcavity wall insulationand solar panels are

among the energyefficiency measures onoffer as part of an initiativeto cut carbon dioxideemissions and reduce fuelpoverty.

St Albans City and DistrictCouncil is one of 15 localauthorities in Hertfordshireand Essex that have togetherobtained £6.6million worth of

government funding.

If you are a homeowner inreceipt of qualifying benefitsor are aged 70 years ormore, you will be eligible toreceive free energy-savingmeasures such as loft andcavity wall insulation,heating system upgrades,and renewable technologiessuch as solar panels,subject to the availability of funding, qualifying criteria and a technical survey.

If you are not in receipt ofbenefits you are entitled toloft or cavity wall insulationat subsidised prices startingat £99. In addition, you maybe eligible to receive grantsand interest free loans tocover the cost of installingrenewable technologies andheating upgrades.

For more informationnplease call 0800 980 6026,quoting STA1009, or go towww.heepgrant.org.

Grants for loft andcavity wall insulationand solar panels are

among the energy

Green grants on offerSainsbury’s inLondon Colney isone of the first

Sainsbury’s stores acrossthe country to offerenergy-saving light bulband portable batteryrecycling facilities.

In partnership with recyclingspecialists Recolight, thestore now has a speciallydesigned collectioncontainer where shopperscan take their old energy-saving light bulbs andbatteries for recycling atapproved treatment facilities.

The Council’s 24hour secure internet payments

service is available atwww.stalbans.gov.uk

Just click on ‘Ways to Pay’on the homepage. You canpay you council tax, housingor garage rent, businessrates or Council invoices

here. The council acceptsmost major credit or debitcards (not Diners Card orAmerican Express).

The Railfrieght planninginquiry began on 24 Novand runs until 18 Dec. TheInquiry is being held at the

Civic Centre in St Albans.For further information, see In Focus atwww.stalbans.co.uk.

Sainsbury’s inLondon Colney isone of the first

Sainsbury’s stores across

The Council’s 24hour secure internet payments

service is available at

Recycle your lowenergy light bulbs

Strong consultation response on crucial issues affecting District

Historic St Albans District: a premier community www.stalbans.gov.uk

Leader of the Council, Cllr RobertDonald using the new facility.

Thankfully, St Albansis a safe city anddistrict in which to

live and work and lots ofwork goes on behind thescenes to keep it that way.St Albans City and DistrictCouncil is an activemember of HertfordshireResilience, the county’semergency planning forumwhich works to prepare for large-scale emergencies.Are you ready for anything?Here are a few simplethings to think about.

Flooding

Even if your home is notdirectly at risk from flooding,the 2007 summer floodsshowed us how we can all beaffected by the consequencesof an unexpected event. Tosee the risk of river floodingto your property, visitwww.environment-agency.gov.uk where youcan do a postcode check andsign up for free flood alerts.Alternatively, call theEnvironment Agency FloodLine on 0845 988 1188. Youmay want to check the detailsof your insurance policies andadd cover if necessary.

Disruption to utility supplies

While the likelihood of

disruption to utility suppliesis low, such an incident canbe inconvenient for most anddangerous for others. Thewater, electricity and gassuppliers have specialschemes in place for lowincome households, forcustomers who rely on aconstant supply of water andfor people with disabilities orwho are chronically ill.Contact your provider fordetails of their vulnerablecustomer schemes.

Swine flu

If you are unfortunate enoughto suffer from the effects ofseasonal flu or swine flu thiswinter, you will most likelysuffer only a mild illness.Some people, however, willrequire more extensivemedical support. If you do nothave family or friends nearby,you may want to give somethought to identifying a Flu-Friend who would be able tocollect your medication onyour behalf, if necessary. Orwhy not offer your services asa Flu Friend to someone youknow. More information about coping with swine flu can be found atwww.wherts-pct.nhs.uk andwww.enherts-pct.nhs.uk.

The Council hasonce again come uptrumps in the East

of England EqualityAwards, this year as jointwinners with its Tiffin Clubproject. Last year theCouncil earned 2nd placewith the Clarence ParkSensory Garden project.

The Tiffin Club is held once aweek and offers Englishliteracy and numeracyclasses, fitness sessions and

advice on healthy eating andpreventative healthcare forwomen from black andminority ethnic communitiesin particular.

Cllr Robert Donald, leader ofthe St Albans City andDistrict Council and theportfolio holder for equalities,said: “I am delighted that thisspecial luncheon club hasbeen recognised in this way.Practical help to enablegreater integration in thecommunity and developmentof English language skills,especially for people whomay feel isolated at home, isreally important.”

Tiffin Club wins Equalities Award

£700K fund to targetchange locally

The Council hasonce again come uptrumps in the East

of England Equality

Thankfully, St Albansis a safe city anddistrict in which to

live and work and lots of

“Aiming high – caringfor our future” wasthe topic for a recent

community conferenceorganised by the LocalStrategic Partnership, agroup of key local agencies(police, councils, healthorganisations, etc.,) andvoluntary and communitygroups, working in theDistrict.

The conference focused onhow to make ambitions, setout in the District’sSustainable CommunityStrategy, a reality.

The involvement of youngpeople was a key theme.Andrew Cawthorpe, RegionalPartnership Manager for theEast of England Prince’sTrust’s, gave the keynotespeech and Youth Councilmembers (pictured) ran one ofthe afternoon workshops.Students from OaklandsCollege produced a short filmfor the conference as part oftheir Media Production coursework experience.

Tarkan Ahmet, a YoungAmbassador for the Prince’sTrust gave an inspirationalaccount to delegates of hisown experience of jugglingfull time caring responsibilitieswith achieving his ambition toset up his own internetbusiness.

The bidding process for ashare of a special £700KTargeting Change Fund wasannounced at the Conference.Cllr Robert Donald, Leader ofSt Albans City and DistrictCouncillor and Chair of the

Local Strategic Partnership,commented: “I look forward toseeing money going tocommunity based projectsthat will make a real differenceto local residents.”

Further details are availablethrough the Local StrategicPartnership website:www.stalbanslsp.org.ukor by email frominfo@stalbanslsp.org.uk.The deadline for bids isWednesday 23 Dec 2009.

St Albans City andDistrict Council has been awarded

over £80,000 by theDepartment ofCommunities and LocalGovernment to pilot a new

Toolkit designed to helplocal authorities deliverbetter customer service.

In a 2008 survey, 99% ofcustomers said they wereeither satisfied or very

satisfied with the service they received. As a developing centre ofexcellence for customerservice, the Council iscommitted to sharing itsfindings with other councils.

“Aiming high – caringfor our future” wasthe topic for a recent

community conference

To find an NHS dentist in Hertfordshire

phone 01707 369645 or email

dentalappointments@herts-pcts.nhs.uk

Do you need

an NHS dentist?

Ready andprepared?

Historic St Albans District: a premier community www.stalbans.gov.uk

Your Council –a developing centre of excellence for customer service

St Albans City andDistrict Council has been awarded

over £80,000 by the

For details on refuse collection over Christmas and New Year,

please see Recycling News or www.recyclingforapremier.comreally important.”

www.stalbans.gov.uk

may feel isolated at home, isreally important.”

Have your say...We welcome anything you haveto say about our services.Please send your comments to:

St Albans City & District CouncilDistrict Council Offices, St Peter’s Street, St Albans,Herts AL1 3JE

Switchboard: 01727 866100

Opening hours:Mon - Thurs 8.45am-5.15pm,Fri 8.45am-4.45pm

Textphone: 01727 819570Fax: 01727 856745Website:www.stalbans.gov.ukE-mail:yoursay@stalbans.gov.uk

EMERGENCY SERVICE(outside office hours)01727 811155

Customer Service CentreOpening hours:Mon - Thurs 8.45am-5pm,Fri 8.45am-4.30pm

Harpenden Town CouncilInformation Point, Town Hall, Leyton Road, Harpenden

Telephone: 01582 768278Opening hours:Mon - Fri 10am-4pm

Alternative formatsIf you would like to receivethis newsletter in analternative format, such asBraille, or in another language, please call 01727 814605

Fit & healthy.y.y . in St Albans City and District

Interested in becoming a councillor?

LOCAL DEMOCRACY

Local democracydepends on peoplegetting involved.

Councillors play a crucialrole in providing localleadership. They representthe views of local residentsand make decisions abouthow the District ismanaged. A new guide hasbeen produced by theCouncil describing what isinvolved in becoming aCouncillor. To download acopy, please visit

www.stalbans.gov.ukand see the ‘Engage WithUs’ box on the homepage,or call 01727 819519.

The 2009 HertsYouth Games were agreat success, but

St Albans City and DistrictCouncil thinks it can doeven better next year. Itaims to offer a greaternumber of free sportssessions and link moreyoung people to regularphysical activity in 2010.

Herts Youth Games will takeplace on Sat 26 June 2010 atthe University of HertfordshireSports Village. Trainingsessions start in February andMarch and will be led by top

coaches from clubs acrossthe District. Sessions offerchildren and young peopleaged 5-16 a great chance totry out new activities or sportsand possibly represent theCity and District of St Albansat the games in June.

The Games are run by the St Albans Arts, Sport &Health Development Teamand managed by theCouncil’s contractor LeisureConnection.

All the training sessions willbe FREE to participate, so put a date in your diary and visit

www.stalbans.gov.uk fordetails from January 2010.

If you would like informationon the programme and how to get involved sent to you directly please call01727 827667.

Herts Youth Games 2010

Is it time to lead a more activelifestyle?

Want to try a newactivity?

Want to exercise in afun, relaxed andsociable environmentwith like-mindedpeople?

If you answered YES to any of these questionsthen you may be interestedin a new programme beingorganised by Active St Albans, a communitysports and physical activitynetwork working toencourage local adults tolead more active lifestyles.

The programme, entitled GetBack Into, offers the chance

to take part in regularphysical activity within a funand sociable environment.

From badminton to bowlsand netball to nordic walkingthere’s an activity to suiteveryone and the firstsession is FREE! Visitwww.activestalbans.comfor more information or call01727 827667.

The 2009 HertsYouth Games were agreat success, but

St Albans City and District

Is it time to lead a more activelifestyle?

www.stalbans.gov.uk

Improve your levelof physical activitythrough a

programme of exercisebeing offered by St AlbansCity and District Council.

The St Albans DistrictExercise Referral Scheme(ERS) is a 24 weekprogramme designed forpeople with health concernswho are unsure about whatphysical activity they cansafely do. Professionaladvice and support is onoffer to help you becomemore active. Referral to thescheme is through a healthprofessional. Health issuesmight include mental health

problems, hypertension,diabetes, joint or muscularflexibility and strengthproblems, back pain,osteoarthritis, weight relatedproblems, asthma and lungproblems, coronary heartdisease or just being unfitthrough prolonged inactivity.

Being more physically activehas lots of benefits. It canhelp relieve stress andreduce depression andanxiety. It can alleviate highblood pressure and aidsleep. It can help you loseweight and improve bodyshape, posture and flexibility.It gives you more energy andit can be fun.

The scheme is run by theSport and HealthDevelopment Team, managedby the Council’s contractorLeisure Connection. Contact01727 827667, or emailsteve.howard@leisureconnection.co.uk for more details.

Your pathway to apermanently healthier lifestyle

Improve your levelof physical activitythrough a

programme of exercise

Historic St Albans District: a premier community www.stalbans.gov.uk

OR TRY SOMETHING NEW!

December Market DaysSt Albans Market – Wed: 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th

Sat: 5th, 12th, 19th

Christmas Markets – 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th

St Albans Farmers Market – Sun: 13th

Wheathampstead Farmers Market – Sun: 20th

Continental Market – 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th

Customer Service Centre

Wheathampstead Farmers Market – Sun: 20thWheathampstead Farmers Market – Sun: 20thWheathampstead Farmers Market – Sun: 20th

Continental Market – 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th

Wheathampstead Farmers Market – Sun: 20th

Districttrictictytyt andd D... iihy.y.y..y n Stn ss CiAlbant ss C