New town centre strategy set to boost Hoddesdon

Broxbourne Council has agreed a new Hoddesdon Town Centre Strategy which it hopes will continue to build on the town’s vibrancy. Hoddesdon has seen a renaissance in its fortunes in recent years, largely due to the work of Love Hoddesdon BID (Business Improvement District) and its fruitful working relationship with the council. Public realm improvements are an important part of the strategy, to improve the look of areas of the town centre, particularly at the southern gateway, Fawkon Walk and Conduit Lane. Residents can expect to see changes including new street furniture, more trees, a pocket park at Bell Lane, and the installation of planters at key locations.

Other projects include improving the often flooded underpasses at Dinant Link Road and Charlton Way; a better connection between the New River and High Street; a new bus service from High Leigh to the town centre, cycle parking and electric cycle charging points. The council also wants to increase footfall to local shops and facilities. Implementing all the ideas in the strategy will cost between £3million and £4million, with £2million of that money already expected to be contributed through funds from developers of projects such as High Leigh Garden Village.

The council says it intends to target the first phase of investment on improving the southern town centre gateway and Fawkon Walk.

They say the younger generation will be the ones that save the planet and one Hertford boy has already started to do his bit for our environment.

Five-year-old Ayan Hossain, who attends St Andrew’s Primary School in the town, was on his way back from school with his dad Shakhawat to their home in Fleming Crescent, Sele Farm, on a Friday afternoon when he spotted a fallen cherry blossom tree lying on the ground.

Ayan asked his dad if they could do something to fix it, so Shakhawat went to B&Q, asked for advice and took Ayan back to the site of the tree in Calton Avenue where, after some digging, and with the help of a pole and some compost, they put the tree back in its rightful place. Shakhawat spread the word through social media and Ayan was showered with praise from dozens of grateful fellow residents and local councillors for his community-minded actions.

Local elections across district, borough and town councils

Local elections are taking place on Thursday 4th May with voters being reminded that they need to take a form of photographic ID with them to the polling booth for the first time.

For East Herts Council, all 50 seats across 26 wards are being contested on the Conservative-run district council that covers Hertford, Ware, Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, Buntingford and a large number of neighbouring villages. It will also be the first time that vet- eran Conservative councillor Peter Ruffles is not standing since he was first elected to East Herts Council in 1976. Mr Ruffles, who is an MBE and a former Hertford schoolteacher, is now aged 80 and has clocked up a combined 105 years of public service across East Herts District, Hertford Town and Hertfordshire County councils.

One third of seats are being contested on both Broxbourne and Harlow councils and there are full elections for Hertford, Ware, Bish- op’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth Town councils.

There are no elections to Hertfordshire County Council for which all 78 seats are contested at the same time. The next election is in 2025.

MP WINS RE-SELECTION

Hertford and Stortford MP Julie Marson has been re-selected as Conservative candidate for the next general election.

Mrs Marson failed narrowly to win automatic re-selection by the constituency selection panel, so exercised her right to seek a vote of the local party membership, which she won last month.

The website Conservative Home has reported that she won the poll by 117 votes to 71.