Summer 2017 ABOUT ATFORD
Changes to garden waste collection service - p6
More things to do in our wonderful parks - p12 Imagine Watford bigger and better - p8 It’s hard to believe I’m now entering my final year as Watford’s Mayor! After sixteen years in the job I’ll be handing over the baton to a new Mayor next May. Our town has come a long way since 2002, and there have certainly been plenty of changes. When I first became Mayor you told me that the town was looking run-down, that our leisure centres weren’t up to standard, that the top of the town was unwelcoming for families, and that the council wasn’t performing well - especially when it came to handling the town’s finances. So my team and I set about trying to fix these issues and make Watford a well-managed town, with first class public services, a safe, pleasant and thriving town centre and a family-friendly atmosphere. Baroness Dorothy Fifteen years on and I’m proud that we’ve got two first class leisure centres with Thornhill MBE activities for all ages and abilities, award-winning parks, a thriving High Street with lots Elected Mayor of of exciting shops and restaurants to come, and an exciting programme of big events Watford through the year. This summer’s Big Events series is set to be bigger and better than ever. The first is watford.gov.uk/ Imagine Watford, our popular outdoor arts festival which transforms our town centre electedmayor into an open-air theatre between 24 June and 2 July. Do come along and enjoy a packed programme of exciting street theatre, dance and music, arranged by the Palace Theatre. Find out more on page 8, and for a full list of performances, visit imaginewatford.co.uk Later in the year we’ll see the return of ‘Big Screen on the Beach’, and a fantastic weekend programme of music at our wonderful refurbished bandstand, ‘Big JiveSwing Festival’ – one of the largest jazz festivals in the UK, and lots more. Page 8 has more information, or visit watfordbigevents.co.uk There’s more exciting news this summer - Cassiobury Park’s new paddling pools are opening on 1 July along with a new café - ‘Daisy’s in the Park’ - and new changing rooms. We’re launching a brilliant new adventurous play area at Harwoods Rec too – with zip wires, towers, bridges and a climbing wall! You’ll find out more on page 11. I hope you’re able to get outside and enjoy everything Watford has to offer this summer – and as ever if you’ve got an opinion about Watford I want to know! Over the years we’ve had many suggestions from residents and we have always turned the best ideas into a reality. From new sports pitches to our annual Audentior Awards, residents’ suggestions have made a lasting impact on the life of the town. So if you’ve got an idea make sure you share it with me and my team. What would you like to see more of in the town? What should we be doing differently? What would you do if you were Mayor for the day? I’d love to hear your suggestions. You can find me on facebook and twitter (@mayordorothy), email me [email protected] or give my office a call on01923 278571. Best wishes
Cover image - Dave Parker
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2 About Watford Summer 2017 ABOUT ATFORD
Features
Improvements to reception area - Making things easier for our residents 4 A Pioneer Town - for the Internet of Things 5 Clean and green - Help us keep our borough tidy 5 Green bin collection service - Changes to be introduced 6 Big Events - Our exciting programme of entertainment continues 8 Summer fun for young people - Wats On activities programme 10 Get fit this summer - with Watford Get Active 10 Adventurous Play - Harwoods opening soon 11 Enjoy Watford’s wonderful parks - Check out what’s on offer throughout the borough 12 Watford - our very own mini Hollywood - Filming locations in the borough 14 Watford Riverwell - A new name for a new community 16 Little Cassiobury - Major renovation project announced 17 Neighbourhood Locality Funds - relaunched 19 Modular homes - A revolutionary approach to new housing 19 What’s on! 20 Local Heroes - Audentior Awards 2017 22 Your councillors 23
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watford.gov.uk 3 Improving our reception for residents We have given our customer service area a new look, and improved the way we engage with residents.
Think back to the last time you were at the Town Hall, waiting in a queue at the large reception desk. We’ve now replaced this with a compact ‘pod’ which has provided a lot more space in our reception area for meetings, transactions and help needed by our residents.
Many of our services are available to book, pay for or report online and residents are being encouraged to contact us from anywhere at anytime, on a suitable PC, tablet or phone. This means we can deal with your questions, applications and issues more Our online services include: Our new ‘QMatic’ system is working quickly and efficiently. However, applying for parking permits, really well for those who do come we understand that not everyone changing your address and to see us face to face. Waiting has online access, and we are able contact details, reporting missed times have dropped considerably, to help you when you visit our bins, and much more. The number making the overall experience of Town Hall reception during normal of our residents contacting us visiting the town hall reception office hours through our ‘meet and this way is increasing. We’ve now much better for everyone. greet’ experts, and the provision of made it possible for you to pay new tablets. for your council tax online too, Visit watford.gov.uk for all the and you can sign up to paperless ways to pay for it, report it, apply Some of the new facilities we have billing at the same time. for it and book it. introduced are: • New tablet devices for people to Direct Debit – a simple and convenient way to pay apply, book or report information themselves l Pay your Council Tax and Business Rates by Direct Debit • New self-help telephone area l It’s secure, hassle free and an inexpensive payment option so that you can contact the l Payment dates include 1st, 15th and 25th of the month department you need directly • New reception pod where you watford.gov.uk/directdebit can speak to our ‘meet and greet’ expert if you need to.
4 About Watford Summer 2017 Watford is a Pioneer Town for the Internet of Things The Internet of Things (IoT) is about connecting devices over a wireless network and letting them talk to us, applications and each other.
We’re exploring ways we can benefit from IoT to gateways to provide low range wide area network be more efficient, help our residents and business (LoRaWAN) coverage across the whole borough and customers and save time and money. Examples with our partner, Digital Catapult, a government- you may already be benefiting from are home backed organisation which support and enable heating and energy smart meters. digital innovation, we are providing a free resource for two years to enable local businesses to explore But IoT is more than just smart homes and and test out digital ideas to improve productivity and appliances, it can create entire smart cities – think competitiveness. of connected traffic signals that monitor traffic flow, or smart bins which tell us when they need The potential is endless, and could be hugely beneficial to be emptied. To enable ourselves and our local in terms of increasing efficiency, cutting down costs and businesses to benefit from IoT we have set up four raising revenue for the council and our community. Help us keep our borough clean and green It’s a wonderful time of year to get out and about into our parks and open spaces Having a picnic in the park is a clean and safe – and can benefit Primary School, who are taking great way to enjoy the sunshine other people and the environment. responsibility for helping to keep with family and friends. our borough clean and green. You can take unwanted items to a Don’t forget to clear up your litter local recycling centre or arrange Report it when you’ve finished and help for our partner, Veolia, to collect If you see dumped rubbish, keep our fantastic parks clean and bulky waste from your home. litter or dog fouling please take green. There are litter bins in our There is a fee for this but it’s easy responsibility and report it on parks, but please take recycling to book. Visit watford.gov.uk for our website, we’ll sort it out with home with you to add to your own more information or call Veolia on the help of our partner Veolia. recycling bin. 020 3567 6900 to book. Visit watford.gov.uk then click on ‘Report it’ Be responsible for your waste Alternatively, advertise your Putting sacks of rubbish next to unwanted items on websites like your bin at the kerbside, or leaving freecycle.com or contact local unwanted items like old TVs on the charities who may be interested. street in case other people might want them is fly-tipping and could For more information on fly-tipping, result in you receiving a fixed visit our website and watch our penalty notice. video watford.gov.uk/flytipping
There are better ways of getting rid Our video was made with the of your unwanted items that are help of children from Central
watford.gov.uk 5 Changes to our green bin collection service
New service charges for additional green bins – please pay by 14 July.
Like all local councils, we need As a result, we to manage our budgets very will continue carefully over the next few to collect ONE In order years. This is because central green bin (for government has cut the money your food and to receive the full it once gave us to help provide garden waste collection service local services, and we will have combined) at £3m less to spend by 2020. We no extra charge, for the year, please need to find new ways to raise but introduce an register online and the revenue needed to provide annual fee for pay by 14 July. vital local services. residents who wish to have To help fill this budget gap, many more than one councils now charge residents for green bin for their all their garden waste collections. garden waste. If you currently have more than Following a consultation last year, one green bin and don’t want to where we asked if you would pay Each additional green bin (up to a pay the charge that won’t be a for additional bins for your garden maximum of six additional bins) problem, but our partner, Veolia, waste, there was sufficient support will be charged at £35* per year will only collect one green bin for us to go ahead with this to collect – this is just under 70p a from your property from 1 August. alternative service. week for each additional bin. Additional garden waste can be
1 bin for Up to 6 food and additional garden bins for waste - garden FREE waste only - £35* per year, per bin
* Benefits related discounts available. Please see website for more details 6 About Watford Summer 2017 taken to your local recycling than driving it to a local recycling centre, or composted, along centre yourself.” with food waste such as We will no vegetable peelings, tea bags longer be emptying Visit watford.gov.uk/ and egg shells, in your home additional green bins additionalgreenbins to find out compost. for free from about the service and how to pay, 1 August. as well as information on how to We are writing to everyone who compost your garden and food currently has more than one waste. green bin to explain our new service in detail and what you households will still have one need to do. We will also put more green bin collected at no extra information on our website. charge. This means there is no change to the service for the Cllr Peter Taylor, Portfolio Holder vast majority of residents, which for Community and Environmental is good news. To have your Services says: “Whilst the council additional unwanted garden waste is facing difficult decisions on collected from your home for just how we spend our budget, we 70p a week is great value and have made sure that Watford more environmentally friendly Love Food Hate Waste More leftover food recycled thanks to you and your food caddy.
Our recycling rates are up thanks will help the environment and save to your efforts to put more of you money too! your kitchen and garden waste into your green bin. This not only Kitchen caddies and increases the amount of green biodegradable food waste liners waste collected, it also means less were delivered to all houses rubbish is sent to landfill which in the borough last November is great for the environment and Sadly, it’s a myth that food waste to encourage more food to be helps us save money. breaks down harmlessly in landfill recycled. Use the caddies to store - it creates methane, a harmful leftover food waste, then tip the A massive 679 tonnes of green greenhouse gas. To prevent this, whole lot, liner and all, into your waste were collected from Watford any food waste you put in your green bin to be taken away. You homes in February and March green bin we recycle into compost. can purchase replacement liners this year – that’s nearly one third from the council (Town Hall and more than the same time last year. For ideas on how to cut Wiggenhall Depot) - just £2.50 We think our new kitchen caddies down your food waste visit for a roll of 50. Most have been a real game changer lovefoodhatewaste.com You’ll supermarkets stock in improving how much Watford find great tips on planning meals them too, but please recycles overall. So thank you and and using up leftovers so that you make sure they display keep up the good work. don’t have to throw away food. It the seedling logo.
watford.gov.uk 7 Fantastic Programme of Big Events to entertain the whole family over the summer
With summer well and truly upon us, there’s so much to look forward to in and around Watford over the coming months. Here are a few ideas to whet your appetite and get you out and about this sunny season.
Imagine Festival - 24 June to 2 July We’re kicking off the festivities with our fantastic show stopper
Now in its seventh year, much-loved outdoor arts festival Imagine Watford, will return to our High Street from 24 June to 2 July and will bring the streets to life with amazing theatre, circus and dance performances, free for all the family.
You can expect random encounters with quirky theatrical characters, acrobats flying through the air, beautiful contemporary dance, a roaming New Orleans brass band, a mysterious smoking man, fantastical mechanical structures, a massive game of bingo, an exciting aerial circus spectacular and much more! Visit the website for full programme details: imaginewatford.co.uk Volunteering for the festival is a brilliant way to be part of the action, support the arts, meet new friends and gain The Festival is programmed by Watford Palace Theatre and new skills. funded by Watford Borough Council and Arts Council England. Big Screen on the Beach - 28 July to 28 August Silver screen, sunshine, Sea Breeze and sand castles – something for everyone!
Get ready for a summer of fun on the beach. Enjoy sunny days while the kids build sandcastles, or leisurely evenings with a cocktail or two at our outdoor cinema and real beach on The Parade by the pond.
Relax while you watch Oscar nominated movies including La La Land, Lion, Beauty and the Beast, Kong: Skull Island, Sully and lots more. There’ll be plenty of your favourite classics too for you and the kids with Sister Act, Harry Potter, Back to the Future, Hairspray and Aladdin. Great food, drinks for all ages, and lots to do – fairground rides, table tennis and more.
And this year you’ll be able to enjoy a Sea Breeze or a Tequila Sunrise on the beach at our cocktail evening – just for the grown ups!
8 About Watford Summer 2017 New to our Big Events programme this year: Big Bandstand - every Sunday until 24 Sept, 2-4pm A jam-packed summer season of free live shows at Cassiobury Park
Now that our bandstand is back in Cassiobury Park, where it was opened more than 100 years ago, we’re celebrating with a season of great music every Sunday afternoon right through to 24 September.
We’ll have everything from jazz to ukulele pouring out of the bandstand for park visitors this summer. The Voyageurs Ambassadors of Music USA will play a series of lunchtime and afternoon concerts throughout June and Bring a picnic or just soak up the sounds while enjoying July. the park in all its glory.
Big JiveSwing Festival - Sunday 30 July, 1-6pm One of the UK’s largest jazz festivals returns to Cassiobury Park
The Big JiveSwing Festival is one of the UK’s largest free jazz festivals, featuring some of the best internationally acclaimed musicians, bands, orchestras and dancers. It’s a great family day out, with live cabaret, dance classes for children and adults and a vintage photo booth. It’s returning to the area around Cassiobury Park’s bandstand this year on Sunday 30 July from 1pm to 6pm. Refreshments are available to purchase within the park, but you’re welcome to bring your own picnic, seats and blankets too. And there’s more... Big Sports Day Big Skate Saturday 9 September 25 November to 14 January 2018
A great day of sporting activities for all to enjoy in the High Open every day except Street. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, our outdoor ice rink returns to The Parade for the festive season, featuring viewing area and bar, serving festive food and drinks for all ages. A host of twinkling Big Fireworks Christmas trees and Saturday 4 November fairy lights will bring the festive spirit to life for Fantastic, renowned fireworks display – not to be missed – skaters and those who returns to Cassiobury Park. prefer just to watch.
For more information on all Big Events programmes, opening times, how to book and more visit watfordbigevents.co.uk
watford.gov.uk 9 Wats On activities programme Great activities to keep young people happy over the summer holidays
Our great Wats On activities We’ll be providing all the giving about 15 minutes to sign in programme is back for favourites again this summer as before activities get going, so best the summer. Five weeks of well as adding more. These fun to be on time to get the most out nothing but fun, adventurous, activities will be held all over of each activity. challenging, and exhilarating Watford, in our parks, open spaces activities to keep young people and indoor locations too. Keep an eye on watford.gov.uk/ smiling throughout the summer play for everything you need to – from 31 July to 2 September. Staff will supervise children and know including the programme of young people while they are summer activities. The Wats On activities programme participating in the activities, but for five to 15-year-olds launched at please remember that anyone Easter and our young attendees taking part in the activities cannot couldn’t stop raving about the be prevented from coming and wonderful activities which going as they please. All sessions included: Nerf battle zone, multi are free and participants or their sports, filmmaker workshop, parents/carers must sign in the football, inflatables, tree climbing/ children at each session they rope play, dance, scavenger hunt/ attend. Registration takes place nature walk. at the beginning of each session,
Get fit this summer with Watford Being active and having fun isn’t just for the kids, it’s great for grown-ups too! Check out the Watford Get Active circuit, basketball, walking football Watford Get Active is funded website watfordgetactive.co.uk and lots more. Based at locations all by Sport England and delivered to find out all the different ways over Watford at a variety of times, by Watford Borough Council, in you can get active this summer. including evenings, to suit people’s partnership with local businesses, busy lives. national governing bodies of The Get Active programme sport, community groups, social has some fantastic energetic The fun certainly doesn’t stop organisations and volunteer and sociable activities such as there, free gym and swim is back champions. badminton, women only swimming, this summer for under 19s. Terms open skate club, men’s fitness and conditions apply so make sure Encouraging participation in sport you check watfordgetactive.co.uk and physical activity in Watford has for all the info you need. been boosted by a £120,000 grant to the county from Sport England. Watford Get Active is a project to get more people in the borough For more information about active. So if you’re looking to get events, play activities and things back into sport, to get fit or just try to do in the borough why not something new we have the right register for our e-newsletter at activity for you. watford.gov.uk/newsletter
10 About Watford Summer 2017 Harwoods Adventurous Playground: Opening soon
Watford’s state-of-the-art Harwoods Adventurous Playground is opening soon and we want all our young people to enjoy it.
The exciting structure contains (PiPA) to ensure it can be enjoyed The development has been a double zip wire, play tower by children of all abilities. funded as part of our £1.4m with mid-air tunnel, slide, bridge investment in contemporary and climbing wall. The tower – This amazing state-of the-the-art play accessed via a wibbly wobbly adventurous structures for the Harebreaks and bridge – has special panels to playground will Harwoods recreation grounds. reflect light in different colours. Other equipment generates provide hours of Harebreaks Adventurous music and sounds to create fun adventurous Playground opened in February a sensory experience that all play for five to and also has a new tower, climbing young people can enjoy. wall, mid-air netted area and slides. 15-year-olds.
The playground has been fully Cllr Karen Collett, Portfolio See watford.gov.uk/play for more assessed by Plan Inclusive Play Holder for Community details.
There are playgrounds for grown-ups too!
You’ll find outdoor gyms at Harwoods and Harebreaks recreation grounds. They’re easy to use and designed for people of all abilities, so when the kids are enjoying their new playgrounds why not enjoy outdoor exercise for free this summer? What’s more, there are plenty more outdoor gyms in our parks right across Watford, visit watford. gov.uk/outdoorgyms to find out if there’s one near you.
watford.gov.uk 11 More things to do in our new and improved parks
There are over 60 parks and open spaces in Watford, eight of which have the prestigious ‘Green Flag’ status. Here’s a snapshop of what you can expect to find.
Cassiobury Park “push buttons” and flat colours of the coat of arms of the surfaces make it easy for children Capel family – who once owned just got BETTER with disabilities to experience the the Cassiobury estate. It now looks fun with their friends. so good that it’s been shortlisted Watford’s Cassiobury Park is twice for the 2017 Horticulture Week the size of London’s Hyde Park and The nearby hub, a centre for the Custodian Awards’ Best Parks a £6.6m investment from Heritage whole community, has toilets Restoration/Development Project and Big Lottery Funds and Watford and changing rooms, including accolade. The bandstand now Borough Council will ensure Changing Places facilities for attracts musicians from across the there’s always something to see disabled users. There’s an onsite globe. and do at this historic beauty spot. café - Daisy’s in the Park - a The refurbished paddling pools community and exhibition room, The bandstand will play host to ‘Big and Cha Café, new Cassiobury education space and more. Bandstand’ performances every Park hub, and resplendent Sunday from 2-4pm until Sunday bandstand are among the park’s Big Bandstand returns to 24 September, as well as the Big many attractions. Cassiobury JiveSwing Festival from 1-6pm on We’ve put £150,000 into the Sunday 30 July. We’ll be marking Paddling paradise restoration of Watford’s bandstand the summer solstice on Wednesday Part of the investment, £2.8m, is and returned it to its original home 21 June, 6-8pm, with Make Music going into making Cassiobury in Cassiobury Park – where it first Day UK, where ska and mod covers Park’s paddling pools a paradise opened in 1912. band The Iconics will perform. See for children of all ages and abilities, page 9 for details. and the adjacent water play park The investment has seen the has 30 state-of-the-art splash pads, bandstand extensively refurbished Visit watfordbigevents.co.uk for water jets and fountains. The raised and repainted in the original programme details.
12 About Watford Summer 2017 Oxhey Park North - latest plan Exciting plans for There’s still time to let us know what construction of a new pitch and you think. Please see our proposals changing facilities at Radlett Road Oxhey Park at watford.gov.uk/oxheyparknorth Playing Fields. and leave your feedback. We’ve got exciting new plans to The club moved from their original transform an area in the north of Anyone for base at Oxhey Park so that the Oxhey Park into a hub of sporting land could be used to build a and social activity (see above). tennis? new road, Thomas Sawyer Way, providing blue light access to We want the area to become a We’ve invested £225,000 in Watford General Hospital. family-focused centre for mountain upgrading all of our tennis courts – biking, BMX, skateboarding which are free for everyone to use. Gaelic football is an Irish team and play with a new café in the sport played between two teams park, community facilities and All the courts are being resurfaced, of 15 players, where teams score toilets. Our plans provide a great the lines remarked, nets replaced points by kicking or punching the opportunity to improve the River and, where required, we’re ball into their rival’s goals. To find Colne and open up walking and installing new fencing. The tennis out more visit glenrovers.co.uk cycling routes through the park courts are in Cassiobury Park, and wider river corridor. North Watford Playing Fields, Oxhey Grange Playing Fields We received a tremendous and Lea Farm Recreation Ground. amount of feedback from the local community on these plans The courts are for everyone, last year and based on your whether you play already, or you feedback as well as the wider just want to give it a go. You don’t community views, and taking into have to book – just turn up with a consideration opportunities at the racquet and tennis balls! site, we’ve made some changes to our original design. Find out more at watford.gov. uk/tenniscourts We’re continuing our plans for a new skate park, BMX track, café, Gaelic football community room and toilets – as they received a lot public support, club gets a new and we’ve added an accessible An U8s match between home Glen Rovers and St play area, mountain bike track, Colmcilles from St Albans, at the official outdoor table tennis tables, new Watford’s Glen Rovers now has a opening of the new Glen Rovers Gaelic Athletic park walkways and more green new home, thanks to investment Association (GAA) pitch. space and wildlife areas. in new facilities, which include the
watford.gov.uk 13 Our mini Hollywood If you thought you saw Darth Vader creeping about in Whippendell Woods, or David Brent shopping in the town centre you may not have been imagining it!
Hundreds of Hollywood great sites from Cassiobury Park Phantom Menace, The Infiltrator blockbusters, TV soaps, dramas to the town centre and we’re really and Bonded by Blood, Watford has and adverts have been filmed in welcoming. Around 50 productions made it to the big screen! Watford over the years. are filmed here every year. Take a look at the map to find Watford is a special place for filming: From EastEnders to recent police out which areas in Watford have it’s a great location, near to London drama, Unforgotten, TV adverts featured. It could be a street close and film studios such as the Elstree including Nationwide and Dominos to you. Studios in Borehamwood; has to blockbusters like Star Wars – The Did you know? BBC 3 series, Witless, Star of TV’s Breaking l Weddings in Albert Square are Bad, Bryan Cranston, was set on the Meriden often filmed in our Town Hall: shot scenes for the estate. The Badger Stacey and Bradley, Ian and Jane Pablo Escobar inspired pub featured u a prominently and Phil and Sharon film, The Infiltrator, in atford Birch Tree throughout. ar r ro Walk in tud o l Adverts including Nationwide and