An important message from Cllr Steve Jarvis, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council
Late last year the Government set out their plans to simplify existing local government structures in England to make it easier for residents to access local services and to save money. In Hertfordshire, there are currently two types of council: district and borough councils and the county council.
District and borough councils, provide services such as housing, planning, bin collections, car parks and leisure services, while we are responsible for schools, libraries, roads, caring for children, the fire and rescue service and supporting adults who need help with daily living.
Under the Government’s plan, these councils will be replaced by new unitary councils that will deliver all services currently provided by the two separate types of council. All councils in Hertfordshire are working together to explore what this would look like, with the aim of creating a system that is easy to understand, delivers good value for money and responds to the needs of local areas.
Over the next month, councils will hold a mix of in-person and online events across the county. A website will also give further information on the changes, how you can get involved and share your views at www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk. This will remain open until 30 September 2025. After this date councils will review all the feedback before submitting the final proposal to Government at the end of November. I’d encourage you all to take advantage of this once in a generation opportunity to help shape the future of Hertfordshire.
Yours faithfully, Steve Jarvis Leader of Hertfordshire County Council
If you haven’t already, do sign up to receive regular updates from Hertfordshire County Council directly at: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/updateme
Stanstead Abbotts is one of five Hertfordshire communities taking part in an important new pilot scheme to help prepare for flooding.
Led by Hertfordshire County Council and funded by the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, the initiative provides a shared community flood kit tailored to our local risks, along with a Stanstead Abbotts-specific flood plan developed with input from residents.
With climate change making extreme weather events more frequent, being prepared has never been more important. The scheme, launched in June 2024, aims to strengthen local resilience by making sure communities like ours have the tools and plans in place to respond quickly if flooding occurs.
Climate change is making extreme weather more common, and that includes flooding. As a county, we can’t stop the rain, but we can support communities to be better prepared. This scheme is about people coming together, planning, and making sure the right equipment is ready and available when it’s needed most. We’re proud to be leading this pilot, especially as other areas across the country already benefit from similar support via the Environment Agency. In Hertfordshire, we’ve taken the initiative ourselves, with funding from Thames RFCC, to make it happen. (Cllr Paul Zukowskyj, Executive Member for Environment, Transport and Growth at Hertfordshire County Council)
What’s in the Flood Kit?
Each flood kit in the scheme has been tailored to meet local needs. Here in Stanstead Abbotts, our kit includes:
Puddle pumps
Flood sacks
High-vis jackets
Flood warning signs
Brooms
Poly boom barriers
The equipment is stored in a secure shed provided by Shedstore, with contents supplied by Arco, and supported by our local council.
Our community flood plan sets out who does what in a flooding emergency, using local knowledge to ensure the response is fast and effective.
Looking Ahead
The pilot scheme also includes Kimpton, Harpenden, Hunsdon and Watton-at-Stone, and now the County Council is inviting other communities across Hertfordshire to register their interest in receiving a similar kit and support.
To be eligible, communities must:
Have a shared space with public liability insurance
Get landowner permission for storage or meetings
Show there is local interest and support
Have a venue for an initial community meeting
If you’re interested or you know another community that might be interested, it only takes a few minutes to apply via a short survey: Hertfordshire Flood Kit Application form
In the three villages, we know the importance of working together. This flood kit gives us peace of mind that, should the worst happen, we’re ready to act quickly to protect homes, businesses and our shared spaces.
Hertfordshire is set to become a whole lot greener as the ‘Your Tree Our Future’ scheme returns for 2025. This year, over 60,000 trees were available free of charge to residents and they have all been claimed already! That is a real commitment to a greener future by our residents.
Background – planting for tomorrow
Your Tree Our Future is a collaborative project delivered by us (the county council), Hertfordshire’s district and borough councils and voluntary sector partners. It is designed to enable Hertfordshire’s residents, businesses and community groups to help plant more trees across the county.
We set out with a goal to help residents plant 100,000 trees over four years. During its first three years, thousands of residents have taken part and helped plant more than 190,000 trees. In 2025 we planned to increase this number to 250,000 trees.
Residents were able to choose from eight different species and they all went, including a limited number of hedgerow packs are also available, which included 36 trees – enough to plant approximately 6 metres of hedgerow!
All of these trees are:
Great Britain natives and suitable for Hertfordshire’s soil and environmental conditions (this gives them the best chance to grow to maturity)
two years old and approximately 60-80cm tall (except for hawthorn, which is one year old and a little smaller, as they grow very quickly)
grown at a UK tree nursery from seed collected in the UK
beneficial to local wildlife.
We have not included trees that could outgrow a domestic garden, like oaks, or fruit trees that need more complex care.
What next?
As all trees have now been claimed, with trees will be available for collection in December, you are encouraged to sign up for next year.
Sign up to the wait list if you’re interested in taking part in the scheme in 2026. We’ll email you when the tree request window reopens.
Our community would not be what it is without the amazing volunteers who give their time freely to help others – and in the process often have a great time themselves! People don’t always realise the huge difference that volunteering makes in our community or that volunteering takes so many shapes and sizes, with hundreds of different organisations and roles that volunteers can be involved in. Our Volunteer Fair will celebrate volunteers in all their glory and, with more than 20 local organisations taking part it will be a wonderful opportunity to learn about the many different types of volunteering and how you could get involved too.
Emily Butterworth, Volunteering Development Lead at GoVolHerts, shared: ‘We’re really looking forward to welcoming everyone to this event in the heart of Hitchin. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet the incredible people behind our local charities and learn about the vital role volunteers play in their work. We’re delighted to have a wide range of amazing organisations taking part, all eager to share how the public can get involved and the fantastic impact that they can achieve through volunteering. We’re honoured to be joined also by local dignitaries and representatives from Hertfordshire County Council. Whether you’re looking to try something new, build confidence, or find a meaningful way to give back, this event is the perfect place to start. Huge thanks to Visit Hitchin for helping us bring it all together.’
The Volunteer Fair in Hitchin is part of Hertfordshire’s celebration of Volunteers Week, a national event to celebrate and showcase the contribution of volunteers in our community. To find out more, visit www.govolherts.org.uk or contact the team at info@govolherts.org.uk. The fair will take place on the High Street in Hitchin. There is no need for the public to register – just come along at any time from 10am to 3pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
GoVolHerts is a free volunteer-matching platform that makes it easy to discover the right opportunity. With hundreds of live roles from almost 500 non-profit organisations, the site connects people with causes that matter to them. GoVolHerts is delivered by North Herts and Stevenage CVS and proudly funded by Hertfordshire County Council.
Health Walks New Summer Timetables are now posted alongside current timetables. Thanks to the dedication of our amazing volunteers, there are more than 100 different walking opportunities, including 27 gentle walks for beginners and 45 evenings/weekend walks. New walks are starting in Bishop’s Stortford, Letchworth, Hitchin, Hemel Hempstead and Wheathampstead, and taster walks in Stevenage and Waltham Cross.
New walkers are always welcome and there’s no need to be super fit to join. There is a volunteer at the front and one at the back to ensure everyone stays together.
Local elections will be taking place across Hertfordshire on 1 May. Are you ready to vote?
Anyone wanting to vote must make sure they are registered. You will need to register if you have not voted before or if you have recently moved house. The deadline is midnight on Friday 11 April.
Find out all of the information you need to get voting, including how to vote in person, acceptable forms of ID, applying to vote by post or how to appoint someone to vote on your behalf (known as proxy) by visiting The Electoral Commission’s helpful webpage HERE: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections
Hertfordshire County Council are committed to becoming a more sustainable organisation. Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, they have been working with partners and residents to tackle climate change, and its impacts across the county.
To help deliver their sustainability and climate change ambitions, Hertfordshire County Council want to know your thoughts about climate change, its impacts on Hertfordshire and their efforts to tackle it.
Hertfordshire County Council have prepared a short survey that will help to better understand residents’ priorities around climate change, including how they can better communicate and engage with locals on this important issue.
There are only a few days left to have your say! Complete the survey before Friday 21 MarchHERE.
An easy-read version of this survey is also available HERE.
Find out more about our work to deliver the Sustainable Hertfordshire Strategy to date, visit their page HERE.
Hertfordshire County Council have put together lots of information on available resources to get practical help during the cold winter months…
Cold weather health advice
We’ve put together a few top tips to help you protect yourself and others from the effects of cold weather.
From drawing curtains at dusk to keep out draughts, to having at least one hot meal a day, plenty of hot drinks and using a hot water bottle or electric blanket to keep warm (but never both at the same time), there are a few things you can do to minimise your risk.
Please check in on anyone who may struggle in cold weather
Please protect yourself as much as possible from the cold conditions and check on others who may be struggling, such as older people and those with underlying health conditions.
If you are finding it difficult to heat your home, or someone you know is struggling to stay warm at home or needs help to get shopping or medicines, please contact HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044 or follow the link HERE.
If you are concerned about the health of yourself or someone else, please call NHS 111, contact your GP or get advice from your local pharmacy.
Come in from the cold Our online directory of ‘warm spaces’ allows you to find libraries, family centres and community spaces near you where you can stay safe and warm this winter. Lots of the venues will be hosting additional activities, including Age UK Hertfordshire’s ‘Winter Fuel Support Roadshows’ where people impacted by the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment can access expert support and advice. You see this directory HERE.
In our local area, you can find:
The 3 Churches Benefice Coffee Morning The Wilshere Hall, St Andrew’s Church, Cappell Lane, Stanstead Abbotts, 9.00–11.00am, Every Monday
Come and share a cuppa and a fun activity in our free, warm and welcoming space.
The 3 Churches Benefice Community Hub Drop-In St Mary’s Church, Hoddesdon Road, St Margarets 10.30–11.30am, Every Wednesday
Open to anyone who needs a cuppa and a chat, practical help or just a safe space.
Get financial support If you are worried about money, or you are in debt, help is available.
Citizens Advice can give you help and support. You may also be able to get help from the government with energy bills, transport, childcare and household costs. Never ignore bills.
If you are in immediate financial crisis, you may be able to apply for help from the Hertfordshire Welfare Assistance Service. You will need to meet certain criteria to qualify for help and you can only apply once every three months.
The payment is designed to help you if:
• you don’t have enough money to meet your, or your family’s, immediate needs after an emergency or disaster
• you think there will be serious damage or risk to your, or your family’s, health or safety without the payment
Winter Welfare visits Another free scheme we’re working with Age UK Hertfordshire to deliver is the Winter Welfare Visits scheme.
A ‘handyperson’ service can help with the following: • Provide and install radiator reflector strips to maximise heat dispersion • Provide and install draught excluders for doors and windows to reduce heat loss • Provide and install energy efficient bulbs and night lights • Provide an electric blanket or a winter duvet (single size only) • Provide a Warm in Winter bag • Help to take meter readings and set heating timings and thermostats • Hang winter curtains (already owned or purchased by client)
We know times are tough right now with the cost of living rising and it’s leaving a lot of people in Hertfordshire feeling overwhelmed. But the good news is there’s help available. If you’re struggling, there are plenty of local services, groups and charities ready to lend a hand.
This winter, Hertfordshire County Council want to make sure that residents know how to access advice and support to help them manage the cost of living.
The Three Villages 