ANNUAL REPORT 2014/15

Review of Civic Year 2014/15

It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as Mayor of for 2014/2015. As always it has been a busy year with a number of highlights. I have had the wonderful opportunity to experience some of Hertford’s finest cultural institutions at their best: Hertford Dramatic & Operatic Society’s performances and running of Hertford Theatre Week, Hertford Symphony Orchestra’s diverse programme throughout the year, Hertford Choral concerts, wonderful displays of art from Hertford Art Society and Courtyard Arts, the second Hertford Book Festival. has provided a wonderful mixture of events and exhibitions from Open Night at the Museum to Wallace Exhibitions touring the country. Cllr Miss Chantal Geall Mayor of Hertford 2014 /2015

This year has also been a year of firsts in Hertford. We have seen the first Hertford Passion Play performed at St Andrews Church. We’ve also seen the start of a new weekly event in Hertford: the Park Run. The run which is volunteer led, celebrated its 100th event in May with 272 runners doing the 5k run through the park, with lots of children taking part and a few dogs! Another first is that Hertford Football Club formed a Ladies Football team which won their league in their first season. The club has also formed a new U21 team. We were honoured to welcome the Royal Anglian Regiment to exercise their freedom of our town in July 2014. The troops marching through the streets of Hertford provided a great spectacle and they were warmly welcomed by residents before being entertained in the grounds with a wonderful marquee provided by Fergus McMullen our High Sheriff for the year.

In August and September the town came together to commemorate the start of WW1. Moving remembrance services were held at the War Memorial and All Saints Church as the people of Hertford reflected on the service and dedication of our forefathers.

An important part of the year was fund raising for my chosen charities – the Isabel Hospice and Hertford and Ware Street Pastors. Fund raising events included fine wine and dining at the Castle, wine tasting, the Mayoral quiz and more recently the civic dinner. I would like to thank everyone who supported these events and gave generously to the good causes. I am also glad to report that my goal of planting a tree in each of the Hertford wards was achieved. One of these was planted at Pinehurst on the night of the opening of the new play area which Hertford Town Council contributed to and is now responsible for maintaining. If you have not tried it already – I can recommend the zip wire there!

I would like to thank all the organisations and charities who have welcomed me to events large and small during my civic year. I would like to thank all the volunteers who make Hertford the wonderful place it is – particularly those working with children – Guiding and Scouting movements etc and the more vulnerable or elderly in our community. My mayoral year has given me a much greater insight into the varied and significant contributions that volunteers make to enhance the wellbeing of all in our town.

During the year I have received strong support from my Deputy Cllr Sally Newton and officers of Hertford Town Council for which I am grateful. Thanks go to the Mayor’s Chaplain Barbara Evans-Routley for her encouragement and practical support. Finally my warmest thanks go to my Mother, Jill Geall, a former Mayor of Hertford for acting as my consort for the year.

Overview of the year 2014/15

It is my pleasure to give the annual report for the year 2014-2015, the last year in this current term of office. Reflecting on the year I see that we have achieved a great deal.

The constitution of Hertford Town Council outlines the statutory requirements which the Town Council is required to perform but indeed we have managed far more than just the basics. Cllr Dr Linda Radford Leader of the Council The Community Services committee, amongst other duties, oversees the management of the town’s allotment sites and in addition to letting plots to aspiring gardeners, it has three semi-independent plot holding groups – The North Road Group, Mudlarks and the Lovely Grub Community Gardeners at Sele Road. The committee takes great delight in hearing regular progress reports from these groups.

The grounds’ staff, who care for the cemetery and the closed churchyards, are extremely professional in their work and are constantly praised and thanked by the public. Work on Block J in the cemetery is now complete and this area is now open for burials and provides a tranquil and peaceful setting for people to remember their loved ones.

The Youth Town Council is monitored by the Community Services Committee and has been remarkable as an institution of its kind, having been the first to be set up in such a way in . Its members consider all manner of aspects of town life, not just those related to young people and they give freely of their time when called upon. The Youth Town Council has been successful in giving some young people an effective role in local government, but after 30 years, a fundamental review of the constitution and ongoing youth links are recommended by the outgoing Community Services Committee as a priority for the incoming administration. Nonetheless, there have been some recent good initiatives by the Youth Town Council.

Our Development and Leisure Committee has had a very busy year. Under their guidance the Hertford Town Council website has been re-branded and re-launched to give a more modern and attractive image. Alongside this, a dedicated venue hire website for Hertford Castle was launched, generating much interest in using the Castle as a historic setting for weddings, baby naming ceremonies and other celebrations.

This year saw the first Open Air Cinema at Hertford Castle, which sold out in advance and made a profit. By popular demand it will be returning later this year.

The Hertford Arts Festival was launched, thereby increasing footfall into Hertford which helped promote local venues and traders as well as raising the profile of local artists. In addition the event promoted arts based projects around Hertford, such as Hertford Theatre, Courtyard Arts and Hertford Art Society.

The Town Council has supported the Hertford Entrepreneurs Network, a scheme to encourage local innovation in business and hosting meetings where guest speakers give presentations and there is an opportunity for local business people to network, share experiences and help expand knowledge. This year a £3,000 grant was secured as prize money for the Hertford Growth Awards and this helped local businesses with funding and publicity. This year we secured event sponsorship totalling more than £8,000 in income. New Christmas lights were installed and many positive comments and words of appreciation were received about the quality of the display. Funding has been obtained for town centre signage which will be erected by mid 2015 and the Development and Leisure Committee has approved finance for the introduction of free WiFi in the town.

The Finance, Policy and Administration Committee manages the overall budget and through prudence it has been possible to freeze Hertford Town Council’s portion of the Council Tax for a further year, despite rising costs and responsibilities. The committee has awarded grants to local organisations and this year has supported around thirty community initiatives, including high profile events such as the Children’s Book Festival at Hertford Theatre.

The Town Council accounts have been revamped with the ‘big picture’ which helps overall visibility of income and expenditure.

Also under the wing of Finance, Policy and Administration a lease was negotiated which enabled Hertford Town Council to take responsibility for Pinehurst Field from County Council. This involved partnership working with all tiers of local Councils, Riversmead Housing Association and the local community group. Hertford Town Council organised the steering group, bid evaluation, contract award and necessary oversight. This amenity was opened in November and is much appreciated as a green space and play area by many residents in the area.

The Planning Subcommittee has met very regularly – almost every fortnight in fact, and receives all planning applications which have been submitted to East Herts District Council and which are pertinent to Hertford. Each one is carefully considered and although mindful that change is inevitable and often desirable, the committee try to ensure that care is taken with due regard for the historic fabric and the street scene and comment accordingly.

In closing my report I would like to thank my fellow Councillors, some of whom will be stepping down this year, along with the Officers at Hertford Town Council, for their hard work and dedication, without which, all that we have achieved would not have been possible. Together we have made great strides forward for Hertford Town.

HERTFORD TOWN COUNCIL SERVICES

Allotments

The Town Council rents out allotments at sites in Bengeo, Cromwell Road, Folly Island, Hertingfordbury, North Road, Sele Road and supports the ‘Lovely Grub Garden' at Sele Road.

Cemeteries and Closed Churchyards

The Town Council maintains the beautiful St Leonard’s Garden in Bengeo and All Saints’, St Andrews, Holy Trinity and St Leonard’s churchyards. The Town Council is also the burial authority for the town, providing a comprehensive burial and cemetery service at Hertford Cemetery.

CCTV and Taxi Marshalls

The Town Council has provided CCTV cameras in Hertford for several years. These are now supplemented by cameras provided by the District Council and housing developers. The improved digital camera recording gives better pictures and in conjunction Hertfordshire Constabulary and with the radio links currently used by local businesses, security measures in Hertford town centre are set to improve further. For the last three years the Council has also funded the work of the Taxi Marshalls from its New Home Bonus.

Hertford Youth Town Council

Hertford Town Council continues to support and work closely with Hertford's Youth Town Council. The Youth Town Council, which was one of the first of its kind in the country, provides young people an insight into how local government works. The Youth Town Council provides young people with a forum to express their opinions and add their ideas to those of the Town Council - giving them a voice that is heard.

Tourism and Town Centre Support

The Town Council promotes tourism in the town by providing a Town and Tourist Information Centre in the centre of Hertford. The centre contains information on the local area as well as places of interest across the UK and provides services such as accommodation booking, ticket sales and events information. The centre also acts as a focal point for liaison with local businesses and played a key role in working very closely with local retailers to promote the town as a vibrant and attractive shopping destination. The Town Council is also responsible for a program of leisure events throughout the year and for Christmas Lighting in the town centre. Town Centre Amenities

The Town Council maintains two historic town clocks - on the Shire Hall and on All Saints’ Church and also provides and maintains bins, benches, planters and hanging baskets in and around the town centre. The Council is working with partners on plans to improve Maidenhead Street and further enhance the historic

Hertford Museum

The Town Council continues to be the primary funder of Hertford Museum’s running costs. The Museum continues to go from strength to strength following its recent refurbishment and this year had some notable successes with its touring exhibitions particularly the extremely popular ‘World of Wallace’ exhibition.

Skatepark and other play areas

Hertford Town Council provides and maintains, in partnership with East Herts Council, the very popular Skatepark at Hartham, near the Leisure Centre and has recently completed the installation of a major new play area and recreation space at Pinehurst playing field.

War Memorial Hertford’s historic Grade II Listed War Memorial is also cared for by Hertford Town Council. The Memorial features a bronze stag sculptured by Sir Edward Alfred Brisco Drury. The stag is set on a Portland stone plinth designed by Mr Maurice Webb and Sir Aston Webb & Sons. The base of the Memorial is inscribed with the names of those who died in World War I and II; some 564 men. Various mainte- nance works were undertaken in 2014 as part of the commemorations to mark 100 years since the start of WW1.

Hertford Castle and The Seed Warehouse

Hertford Castle has been home to Hertford Town Council and its predecessor Hertford Borough Council for 100 years. However, more recently the Castle has also been made available for public and community events such as weddings, parties and civic functions. The Town Council also maintains the Seed Warehouse, another historic building in the town centre, which also provides valuable space for community use.

Community Services Committee

2013/14 has once again been a busy year for the members of the Community Services Committee. The Committee is responsible the maintenance of the Town Council’s six allotment sites, the Cemetery in Bramfield Road and four Closed Churchyards as well as the St Leonard’s Garden at Bengeo which are the Council’s main statutory responsibilities.

Cllr Nik Wilson, Chairman, Community Services Committee

The popularity of the allotment sites continues unabated, and there remains a short waiting list at certain sites, with some vacancies at others. All allotments are closely monitored to ensure that plots are suitably tended and action taken to encourage plot holders to maintain a good standard to cultivation. The community project at the Sele Road Lovely Grub Garden has had its first full planting season and the popularity of the Garden continues to increase. The Council is grateful to the core members of the Group who have created and continue to maintain a beautiful community resource. New members are always welcome, email [email protected] for further information.

Closed churchyards are an important amenity asset to the residents of Hertford and their high standard of maintenance one of the priorities for the Committee. Large investment has been made to carry out to repairs to many of the old memorials in the All Saints churchyard to both improve the appearance of the churchyard and to ensure the health and safety of the many people that visit.

A large area of St Leonard’s Garden in Bengeo was replanted last year and the Mudlarks gardeners continue to maintain the Garden to a high standard. Significant investment has been made in the Cemetery this past year, with three new paths installed on the new Block J. This block will be open to receive new cremated remains burials very shortly. A safety rail has been installed on Block F in front of a large slope in that area, and substantial resurfacing to the footpaths has also taken place.

Work to maintain and clean the War Memorial in Parliament Square has taken place in order to both to ensure its future protection and to be a suitable focus for the WW1 Centenary Commemoration Service in August 2014.

The Committee also continues to support the work of the Hertford Youth Town Council and provides financial support towards the maintenance of the Skate Park at Hartham Common.

Development and Leisure Committee

The Development and Leisure Committee’s responsibilities include the programme of events at Hertford Castle and in town. One of the main objectives is to raise the profile of Hertford, to attract new visitors and to support local traders.

Over the past year Hertford Town Council has successfully organised over twenty events both held at Hertford Castle and in town attracting thousands of visitors. A number of new events were Cllr Miss Isabel Sigmac introduced as part of the Council’s efforts to keep Chairman, Development the programme fresh and exciting. and Leisure Committee

This included an open-air cinema at Hertford Castle and a Hertford Arts Festival. The cinema event was the only ticketed event of the year and sold out in advance of the evening. The Hertford Arts Festival increased footfall into the county town over a two-week period and supported local venues and traders.

The events programme raised over £8500 income to help offset the cost of entertainment, equipment and advertising as well as raising a significant amount towards to the Mayor of Hertford’s Appeal Fund which this year supported Isabel Hospice and Hertford and Ware Street Pastors.

In addition to the events programme, Hertford Town Council continued to run the Hertford Entrepreneurs’ Network. The network runs quarterly events free of charge for businesses and provides educational seminars at Hertford Castle. As part of the initiative, a competition called the Hertford Growth Awards was organised and gave businesses the opportunity to win funding towards business growth.

As part of the Council’s commitment to enhancing the historic town centre and encouraging visitors to the county town, additional town signage was erected around the A414 to promote landmarks and attractions and a new Heritage Trail is currently in development. It was also approved that Hertford would introduce free WiFi into the town.

Following significant investment in refurbishing the Castle, wedding and other event hire increased and wedding hire targets exceeded expectations. The Mill Bridge Rooms underwent a full refurbishment that resulted in new clients booking the venue for a variety of events.

Finance, Policy and Administration Committee

Every year the Council sets aside funds to award as grants to individuals, groups and charities who are working on projects that benefit the residents of Hertford. During 2014/2015 the Council awarded grants for a total amount of £15,130. Organisations that have benefited include: East Herts Citizens’ Advice Service, Courtyard Arts & Community Centre, Hertford Music Festival, Home Start East Herts, Hertford Rotary Club and Bury Rangers Football Club. Cllr. Andrew Stevenson Chairman, Finance, Policy and Administration Committee

Town Council Finances

East Herts District Council collects the council tax on behalf of the County Council, the District Council, Hertfordshire Police and the Town and Parish Councils. Hertford Town Council calculates the costs of running its services, considers reserve requirements, and then forecasts income from the Town & Tourist Information Centre, cemetery and room hire. The net expenditure determines the “Precept” which is the amount paid by Hertford residents for Town Council services. Unlike the District and County Councils, the Town Council normally receives no government funding.

In 2013/14 the tax base was reduced by the value of the Council Tax Reduction scheme (replacement for Council Tax Benefit) which was previously funded from Central Government. This led to an increase in the charge payable by a Band D household of 3%. By prudent use of a grant from Central Government the Council set a Precept for 2014/15 of £1,025,845 (up 0.8% from £1,017,498) which maintained the charge payable by a band D household at £94.21 (a 0% increase). In January the Council approved a budget and set a Precept for 2015/16 of £1,049,700 which again maintained the band D charge at £94.21 for a second consecutive year with the intention that the level of Precept should be sustainable in the short to medium term without impacting on Council services.

Income for the year amounted to £282,443 from rental income, room hire and takings at the Town and Tourist Information Centre (T&TIC). General expenditure amounted to £742,128 with no reduction in service levels offered by the Town Council. The Council has maintained its significant support for the Hertford Museum.

2014/15 was the fourth year the Council has received New Homes Bonus, a grant from Central Government for community projects, the total received now being £331,594 . During the year the Council invested in initiatives to support the town centre which will continue through 2015/16. With partnership funding from East Herts Council, Lafarge and Riversmead Housing Association the Council used New Homes Bonus to develop a new all ages outdoor community area at Pinehurst with children’s play equipment. This is a great new feature for the town.

Summary Accounts 2014/15

2013/14 2014/15 £ £

Income Precept (1,017,498) (1,025,845) New Homes Bonus (98,005) (153,293) Council Tax Support Grant (83,997) (41,999) External Funding - Pinehurst Pro- (120,460) ject Other income (240,363) (282,443) Total Income (1,439,863) (1,624,039) Expenditure General Expenditure - Premises 229,098 238,882 - Museum 125,095 129,645 - Grants 16,795 15,130 - Town Development 144,918 176,037 - CCTV 27,204 27,155 - Allotments 14,341 15,937 - Cemetery 88,963 67,243 - Pinehurst Community Area 114,124 - Other 109,309 98,637 Wages 536,239 559,293 Total Expenditure 1,291,962 1,442,083

Opening Reserves 465,809 613,710 Plus Income 1,439,863 1,624,039 Less Expenditure (1,291,962) (1,442,083)

Closing Reserves 613,710 795,666 HERTFORD TOWN COUNCIL 2014 –2015

Cllr A Turner Cllr Mrs S Newton Cllr P Ruffles Cllr Dr L Radford

Cllr Miss J Sartin Cllr Miss C Geall Cllr Miss I Sigmac Cllr M McCormick

Cllr Mrs B Mansfield Cllr N Wilson Cllr A Stevenson Cllr Mrs B Haddock

Cllr D Poole Cllr Ms P Moore Cllr R Willis Cllr P Boyle

Town Clerk: Nina L Villa MA MCMI The Castle, Hertford, SG14 1HR Tel: 01992 552 885 Website: www.hertford.gov.uk