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THREE RIVERS Spring 2011 Important news on refuse and Do you live in South Oxhey? recycling centre pages a-d collections page 6 Three Rivers Times costsand 20p distribute to print THREE RIVERS TIMES SPRING 2011 NEWS TOWARDS EXCELLENCE SUSTAINABLE Council Tax cut, frontline Refuse and services protected recycling balancing its budget in the face of a 23% cut in its collections Government grant* over the next two years by making further savings, reducing non-essential services and generating more revenue. Cabinet Member for Resources, Matthew Bedford, said: “It’s been extremely hard to protect the front line services which people value and rely on. We’ve listened to residents and thought carefully about what is really important. We’ve had to make some difficult decisions but we will be able to continue to provide high quality, value for money frontline services.” The Council is commited to protecting weekly kerbside collecting, barrow beat street cleaning, community safety services**, parks and open spaces, leisure centres and Week of the Royal Watersmeet together with limited free swimming for Wedding, Friday young people. 29 April 2011. Please be aware that all refuse, Cost savings in next year’s budget include: accommodating recycling and brown bin Rickmansworth Police Station in the Council’s main collections will remain as building, a reduction in casual staff, deleting certain vacant scheduled on the collection jobs, reducing IT costs, cutting of first class post, calendars during the week reducing the number of leisure projects, cutting delivery of the Royal Wedding. of the A-Z directory of services, a reduction in Councillors’ As this week starts with allowances, an increase in revenue from garage leases, Easter Monday all planning and building control charges plus an increase in collections are already shared services with Watford Borough Council. scheduled one day later. The Council has no plans to introduce charges for car Although Friday 29 April parks for next year. is also now a Bank Holiday the crews will be working The District Council’s average Band D charge for as normal, and so anyone 2011/12 will be £155.33. with a Thursday collection Large cost savings over a number of years have yielded a should place their *The Government grant currently contributes 45% of the Council’s net small cut in the District Council’s Council Tax level for the containers out on Friday. expenditure. The 23% reduction is over and above the reduction made Anyone on a Friday second year running. for bus passes. collection should place The surprise 1/4% reduction in Council Tax overall was **The Council’s partnership work with the Police includes the funding their containers out on of two full-time PCSO posts for the district. agreed at February’s Full Council meeting. The Council is Saturday. On both of these days containers should, however, be out from Increasing efficiency:money saved 6.30am. More on street parties and bank holiday opening on page 5. 2005/6 £440,980 saved 2009/10 £682,823 saved Well, well, well The Council’s environment 2006/7 £52,890 saved 2010/11 £103,860 (estimate) experts are asking any resi- dents who use water from a groundsource, such as a well 2007/8 £218,450 saved Total £1,983,468 saved or bore hole, to get in touch. This helps the Council to alert people in the unlikely event of 2008/9 £484,465 saved 2011/12 £838,630 (target) contamination to the supply. [email protected] 01923 776611. Page 2 Contact us on 01923 77661 1 SPRING 2011 THREE RIVERS TIMES Contents page News 2-5 TOWARDS EXCELLENCE Sustainability 6-7 Olympics: get on with it Towards Excellence 8 Small companies risk missing out on contracts to Future of South Oxhey a-d supply the 2012 Olympics. That’s the warning from Community Action 9-10 the Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners team who have been sounding a clarion Community Safety 11-12 call at business briefings. Speaking at a breakfast Leisure 13-15 meeting in Abbots Langley, Business Link’s Terry Young Three Rivers back page Burgess said: “Businesses must act Editor KEVIN SNOW straight away if they are Deputy Editor RYAN WATSON interested in competing Designer DIANE BUGEJA for contracts. There are contracts of around £5,000 Main Photographers PATRICIA RAYNER ANNIE SIMONS upwards and small Runner Mark Richardson has been encouraging businesses businesses can make joint to find out more about Olympics contracts. We welcome your ideas and feedback on this magazine. bids. There is a website Ring the editor on 01923 727255 or email which matches businesses [email protected] to contract opportunities. “It is urgent. Get back to Terry Burgess Front cover: Recycling - see pages 6 and 7. your office and get on with [email protected] “We can give free support it.” to businesses to help them www.hertsisreadyforwin- through the tender Local firms which have ners.co.uk If you would like this information process.” Robert Goldwater already won Olympics www.competefor.com/ translated into another language please from the Ashley Wilde contracts include Long Paralympics and Olympic contact us on 01923 776611. home textile group added: Island Hotel and Skanska. tickets see 15. TOWARDS EXCELLENCE Boost for charities Two major events have helped to raise money for Council Chairman Ron Spellen’s chosen charities. A special civic service at St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth, attended by the Bishop of St Albans in January and a charity dinner at the Royal Masonic School at the end of February both If you need this information raised cash for the South Oxhey Boxing Club, The in large print, braille or South Oxhey Choirs and The British Red Cross. another format call Cllr Spellen said: “These events were not 01923 776611 about me but for the citizens of Three Minicom 01923 727303 Rivers and especially South Oxhey.” Printed on chlorine-free paper from sustainable forests. To donate to Cllr Spellen’s This publication cost 20p per copy including delivery. fundraising work contact the Council’s Democratic Services team on 01923 776611 or contact the groups direct. The final results of the Chairman’s fundraising will be announced in the summer when his year of office has been completed. www.threerivers.gov.uk Page 3 THREE RIVERS TIMES SPRING 2011 NEWS SUSTAINABLE TOWARDS EXCELLENCE community groups can publish their activities on the Council’s free Village community notice board at www.threerivers.gov.uk and we will automatically network publish these events on All main residential areas Facebook. in Three Rivers will have News is also available from dedicated Facebook pages the Council’s Twitter feed. by the end of March with Residents who are not on- updates on very local news line can check their nearest and information. Facebook Council notice board for pages for Rickmansworth, the monthly What’s On South Oxhey, Mill End/Ma- poster or ring 01923 776611 ple Cross and Sarratt are (minicom 01923 727 303). already available. The Dis- Free computer and internet trict Council project aims to access and training ses- reduce the cost of keeping sions are available from residents informed. Hertfordshire libraries Local agencies and 0300 123 4049. SUSTAINABLE Green work at the lake Hot plot spots Stockers Lake conserva- last year a group of of bio-diversity and the Residents in South Oxhey are sowing seeds for summer tion club, started through students have spent time protection of rare species. after two new allotment sites have been launched in a partnership with the each week, after school, Students have also cleared Ashford Green and Markeston Green. Friends of Stockers Lake, clearing an overgrown space alongside the river- Mr O’Field, who has a plot on the Ashford Green gives young students from pond. This is a site of a rare side path to plant their own allotments, said: “The site has been waste land for a Rickmansworth School the plant, the Ragged Robin, ‘Rickmansworth School’ number of years but a lot of work has gone into getting it opportunity to undertake a where the species is now hedge - which they hope ready. I’m looking forward to sowing our first crop of number of projects on the thriving. The work has will provide a valuable tomatoes and runner beans for the summer.” lake. raised the students’ under- habitat for birds, insects After forming in April of standing of the importance and other small mammals. Can you help? If you know of a site that may be suitable for new allotments please contact the Council on 01923 776611 [email protected] Loo scheme expands. The public will be able to continue SUSTAINABLE to use toilet facilities at Ansells bookmakers in Abbots All District and Parish Council owned allotments in Three Langley, together with MENCAP and Watersmeet in Rivers are run by allotment associations or Parish Coun- Rickmansworth, during normal opening hours. The news cils. You can add your name to the waiting list for allot- follows successful two month pilot projects at the Paper ments by using the contact details found on our website venues. The scheme saves the Council over £32,000 each www.threerivers.gov.uk or by calling 01923 776611. year compared to providing separate facilities. Ansells is not open to U18s. Ansells, MENCAP and Watersmeet are trail wheelchair-friendly. A full list of community toilets is at Free paper recycling for www.threerivers.gov.uk 01923 776611 businesses is now available for all of the Council’s existing commercial waste customers. This is in addition to normal trade waste and recycling collections. The Council will also collect your business’ glass and card- board although there is a charge for this service.