The SPRING edition APRIL 2015 inc SPORTS SUPPLEMENT Politicians & Public demand action Parliamentary candidates, local politicians and the audience who attended the political debate ‘Vision for Harpenden’ in Rothamsted Conference Centre on April 21 were all agreed...the time for talking is over and action is needed now to solve the Harpenden problems...building a new secondary school...providing new infrastructure to support the growing population...building affordable homes. All within the strategy of sustainability. Harpenden is sports mad! See our first ever sports section inside It’s a fact that Harpenden is full of sports clubs and associations, supported by equally enthusiastic groups of supporters. The sports section inside goes behind the scenes to tell the stories about these organisations, the people who run them and how you enjoy taking part. Cricket...Cycling...Football...Golf...Tennis and Rugby are featured in this edition including a FREE 3 months golf offer and how the 948 Sports Foundation gives grants to up and coming sports people and clubs. Also in this issue: Historic findings beneath proposed new school site in Batford Pension advice for ‘Baby Boomers’ Why promotional videos are essential for your business. How a Harpenden Charity Spearheads Research and Support The voice of young people – Youth Connexions Harpenden news updates Check out the Harpendia web site daily www.harpendia.com Planned development for the Westfield former Allotment Site. An exhibition of the plans for the development of the land adjacent to the Westfield recreation ground was held on Thursday 2 April 2015, Park Hall, Leyton Road. Harpenden Town Council is proposing to build eleven 3 bed houses, five 2 bed, six 1 bed flats and two 2 bed flats. These will be ‘social’ From the Editor. homes run by a Housing Association (yet to be determined.) April 28 2015. More information to be available soon following the consultation. With all eyes focused on the results of the May 7 General Election one wonders whether the result will have much influence over the ongoing issues in Harpenden. Some more homes will have to be built in Harpenden as will a new secondary school. See story on this page. You have the power to influence decisions-take it. Sporting activity is very important to many people of all ages in Harpenden, that’s why we have a large section in this edition. Video is an increasingly powerful tool for business...read more inside. A big thank you to all the contributors and the writers who have contributed to this edition. If you want to contribute to the Summer edition please contact me. Ron Taylor. [email protected] Historic findings beneath proposed new school site in Batford Alexander Thomas, (above) a PhD student in the Museum of London, it cannot now be ruled the Department of Archaeology and out that these features could be evidence of Anthropology at the University of Bristol, Harpenden’s Anglo Saxon heritage, perhaps a conducted a successful geophysical survey Great Hall. It is therefore essential that further on the farm field adjacent to Common Lane work is done on this site to establish what is under the field and what it will tell us about and the Lower Luton Road over the weekend Harpenden’s - and Hertfordshire’s - early history. March 14th - 15th. Following in depth consultations with Alex’s PhD supervisors and other tutors – all eminent Further archaeological surveys and digging archaeologists - and fellow PhD students, an needed industry standard report which presents and The results of the survey are an extremely interprets the survey results has been made exciting development as not only might we be public. The results strongly suggest the field able to ascertain the age of Batford Mill but also does contain the remains of buildings associated the ancient origins of Harpenden. This can only with Batford Mill and which were built prior to happen with further surveys and digging. The 1766 as they feature in maps dating from that report therefore recommends an archaeological time. These can be explained by the anomalies evaluation before development is even in the first grid to the west on both the resistivity considered. Alex has deposited a copy of the and magnetometry surveys. However, the report with Historic Environment (Archaeology) resistivity survey also produced anomalies Department at the County Council, so they are consistent with other unrecorded buildings to the aware of the significance of these results and the east which is backed up by magnetometry. This now urgent need to protect this site in Batford is a very exciting discovery. However, what is which is at the heart of Harpenden’s ancient perhaps more interesting – and completely historic area. Alex has also created a record of unexpected – is that the magnetometry has also the survey with a national database to protect revealed post-hole like features arranged the results and also to ensure that everyone is rectilinearly, and on a different alignment to the aware of the importance of the site. other features. These strongly suggest an Further information is available by emailing unrecorded and substantial earlier structure Alex: [email protected]. below the surveyed buildings. Following further discussions with a consultant in Built Heritage at Article continues ... Picture explanation Article concludes... Picture shows Alex Thomas Delays inevitable with Secondary School site with professional surveyor and decision. PhD History candidate, Alex Portch, using the resistivity kit. Although David Cameron has given the approval for the new secondary school for Harpenden, a decision endorsed by The Resistivity measures the Education Funding Agency for the Harpenden Secondary electrical resistance of the Schools Trust there remains two further decisions. Firstly one of ground to a depth of one finance, the EFA will fund the building part of the project, leaving metre. Resistivity is ideal for Herts County Council to fund the purchase of the site. Secondly locating buildings, building a decision still to be finalised is the exact site for the school. debris and rubble. Site F in Batford remains the preferred location, but with local opposition and now the historic and archaeological importance What the maps mean: has been established, there appears to be no immediate This is an annotated solution. Local parents will remain frustrated for some interpretation/ trace plot of the resistivity results only. time to come? By layering and comparing current maps, the resistivity results and the historic maps it is possible to isolate the anomalies of known demolished buildings and therefore also highlight the anomalies of unknown demolished buildings. From this analysis we know that the buildings occupied an area of around 900 metres squared. But with other similar high resistance noise in the remaining 1800 metres squared it is likely other unrecorded buildings are present. Therefore, the areas filled black with white dots are regions of high resistance and are most likely in-situ walls. The areas coloured white with black stripes are areas of slightly lower resistance but likely to be rubble. The areas coloured black with white stripes are regions of low resistance and are likely to be geology. ‘Baby Boomers Beware’ By Geoff Newman.( below) Director. Lyndhurst Financial Management Ltd. In the winter edition of Harpendia Magazine I The research shows that many will use the reviewed the new pension reforms that come in flexibility and choice offered by the pension to place from 6th April, which as I write is less reforms to stay invested in their pension for than a month away. The reforms continue to be the hottest news in town and so it was with some dismay that I read a recent survey which revealed the concerning fact that 40% of baby boomers, those aged 55 to 74, have not started to save specifically for retirement yet, despite two-thirds of respondents understanding the State Pension will not be sufficient. The survey found that Britain's baby boomers are some of the least prepared for their retirement. The challenge remains to encourage short-term savers to become long-term investors. The findings show that 59% of respondents are concerned they will not live comfortably in retirement, while 63% hold their non-pension savings in cash, causing inflation erosion. Of the participants, 81% said they did not know how to access income with their pension savings. longer, while taking regular income, and combine Pension reforms purchasing an annuity alongside it, From 6 April this year, 9% say they will invest their pension pot to generate an income, while potentially later in life. Meanwhile, almost one in five baby boomers may take advantage of the 8% will move their pension into a cash savings account. freedom to invest their money elsewhere, with half choosing a cash savings account. The survey highlighted that 28% of the respondents are undecided on what to do, while 26% plan to stay invested in their pension plan Taking Advice Our team are now really busy working with but take out cash regularly and use some of it to people who are seeking advice on what may be buy an annuity. Meanwhile 6% of participants the most important financial decision they have say they will use part of their pension to clear to make, how to fund their retirement in the new debt or similar, while 3% plan to blow the lot on world? However, we are always available to help whatever they desire. the people of Harpenden, after all that’s what we have been doing for the last 22 years. Approaching retirement If you are about to retire or are approaching your Geoff Newman retirement, it's important that you think Director, Lyndhurst Financial Management Ltd very carefully about how you will sustain your www.lyndhurstfm.co.uk income through a much longer retirement than previous generations.