Read the latest issue of Dacorum Digest, winter 2014 (PDF 3.6MB)

dacorum
digest
Winter 2014
News from your Council
Christmas
opening
see page 3
Waste
changes
see page 7
Winter
pests
see page 9
Transforming a town
Business as usual while Hemel evolves
Annual
Report
see inside
AnnualRepor
t
2013/14
“I am pleased
to introduce
our
annual report
for 2013/14
which sets out
our work over
the last year
towards achieving
our vision of
a thriving and
prosperous
borough for
our
communities.
The report rounds
up a
successful year
for Dacorum
in
which I am
proud to have
seen
many of our
long term plans
start
to become a
reality. Regeneration
in Hemel Hempstead
is taking
shape, aiming
to attract more
businesses,
jobs and visitors
to
boost the economy
for the whole
borough. We’ve
started building
the first new
Council homes
for
over 20 years,
helping to create
more affordable
homes across
the
borough. And
we’re committed
to
providing value
for your money
so have been
continuing to
find
more efficient
ways of providing
our services
to you, to maintain
the everyday
services you
need
whilst investing
in the borough
for the future.”
Cllr Andrew
Williams,
Leader of the
Council
“The publication
of this annual
report coincides
with my first
anniversary
as Chief Executive.
2013/14 has
been an exciting
and fulfilling
year for our
staff
— whether they
have been
involved in
providing our
day
to day services
to you or
working on
our significant
programme
of development
and regeneration
projects.
We have started
construction
of the first
council houses
within
the borough
for over 20
years
Dacorum Borough
Hemel Hempstead, Council, Civic Centre, Marlowes
Hertfordshire
HP1 1HH
Clean and safe
environment
a tidy and safe
place
for people to
live,
work and visit.
Page 6
Our vision
Community
capacity
enabling self-help
and
volunteering
to build
communities.
Page 7
working in partnership
to
create a borough
which
enables the
communities
of
Dacorum to
thrive and
prosper.
Affordable
housing
Regeneration
supporting the
growth of
businesses,
jobs and
investment,
in the area.
Page 3
Dacorum
delivers
improving and
increasing
affordable homes
for
local people.
Page 2
an efficient
effective
and modern
council.
Page 8
and our first
new homes
are due
for completion
in next spring.
I am particularly
proud of the
speed of progress
we have made
since the national
introduction
of new local
housing financing
arrangements
in 2012.
The Hemel
Evolution —
regeneration
programme
is also
well underway
and 2013/14
saw the completion
of the
improvement
works in Hemel
Hempstead
Old Town which
is a
true gem for
the borough.
During 2013/14
I have
witnessed first-hand
our work
in partnership
with the local
community,
business, voluntary
and public sector
partners and
now I hope
you enjoy reading
this annual
report which
summarises
key aspects
of this
valuable work.”
Sally Marshall,
Chief Executive
Dacorum
Borough Council
01442 228000
www.dacoru
m.gov.uk
www.dacorum.gov.uk/digest
Take a closer look
Discover what there is to enjoy on your doorstep
dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/discover
www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk
I Welcome
02
Do you do
it online?
Welcome to Dacorum Digest —
bringing you news and information
from your Borough Council.
This issue includes advice on
dealing with pests in your home
When dacorum.gov.uk first went live in 1999, our new website aimed to become ‘the first place on
the web you look for local information’. Fifteen years on, and the site is a very different place — no
longer simply for information, but now bringing your local council services to where you are, when
you want them, at just a click or a tap.
www.dacorum.gov.uk/doitonline
insurance and license fees online.
some tips for a greener Christmas
Whether you want to pay it, report it,
Apply for it — planning permission,
that could save you money! Plus
or apply for it — you can most likely
allotments, electoral register, jobs at the
there’s a handy guide to what goes
do it online. More than 2,000 people
council, housing, bulky waste collections,
where in your new bins, to help
each month are already using our
large bins, assisted waste collections
you get used to our new Recycle
online forms, from their phone, tablet
and all sorts of licences.
for Dacorum service.
or computer. Taking less than three
during the winter (page 9) and
We also take a look at how work
is progressing to refurbish Hemel
Hempstead town centre (page 10).
minutes in most cases, it’s a quick and
convenient way for you to deal with us
at a time that suits you.
Search it — there are more than 2,000
Report it — issues in the streets such
bar to find what you’re looking for.
And we’re adding new features all the
while it’s business as usual for the
litter, fly-tipping, dog fouling, graffiti,
time responding to what our customers
town centre shops and businesses.
anti-social behaviour and ask us to
find most useful, such as the popular
collect a missed bin or make a council
new postcode search to find your bin
house repair, tell us about your new
collection dates.
highlights the work we’ve done
towards creating a thriving and
address, tell county council about road
and street light problems and make
other comments and complaints.
make the most of how the Internet can
benefit them. Community programmes
are being planned, and we’ll tell you
more about them in future issues of
Dacorum Digest.
in your local area. Simply use the search
as abandoned vehicles, dead animals,
2013/14 is included inside. It
skills and knowledge they need to safely
all aspects of your council and services
take shape in the pedestrian area
year, our Annual Report for
people to get online — by giving them the
pages of news, information and advice on
The exciting plans are starting to
Looking back over a successful
looking at ways that we can support
Increasing from around 1,000 visitors per
month in 1999, to up to 12,500 in a day
in 2014, dacorum.gov.uk is an ever more
prosperous borough for our
Pay it — council tax, business rates,
important part of our service to you.
communities, and sets out what
and parking penalties. If you’re a council
we still plan to achieve.
We realise that not all our residents are
tenant you can also pay your rent,
able to access the Internet, and we’re
Find out what you can do online at
www.dacorum.gov.uk
I hope you enjoy this issue of
Dacorum Digest. We aim to make it
as useful and relevant for you as
possible, so please take a moment
to complete our reader survey on
page 9 so that we can continue to
improve for you.
Councillor Andrew Williams
Leader of the Council
dacorum
digest
Christmas
opening
see page 3
Waste
changes
see page 7
Winter
pests
Reporting road faults
Have a say on changes to libraries
While commuting around Dacorum, have you seen a pot
A consultation on changes to Herts County Council’s library service
hole, faulty street light or fallen tree branch? If so, you can
is open until 7 December 2014. The changes aim to make the
report these faults easily, quickly and conveniently through
Library Service more accessible and increase usage, while costing
Hertfordshire County Council’s online fault reporting system at
the taxpayer less. Find out more and have your say at
www.hertsdirect.org/highwayfaults.
www.hertsdirect.org/inspiringlibraries or fill in a questionnaire
at your local library.
Paul, Ruth and
Evie enjoy
improvements
to Hemel town
centre page 10
Winter 2014
il
your Counc
News from
Hertfordshire news
If you would like this information
Publisher:
Digest advertising:
in another format, such as CD or in
Dacorum Borough Council, Civic Centre,
[email protected]
another language, please call
Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1HH
Dacorum Borough Council does not
01442 228694
01442 228694 / [email protected]
accept responsibility for any goods
or services offered by advertisers
see page 9
n
a towlves
mingHem
el evo
Transsfasor
usual while
Busines
Annual
Report
see inside
r look
Take a close
ep
on your doorst
there is to enjoy scover
Discover what
.uk/di
nofurther.co
dacorumlook
knofurther.co.uk
www.dacorumloo
AnnualReport
2013/14
Making every penny count,
giving you value for your money
have seen many of our long
term plans start to become
a reality. Regeneration in
Hemel Hempstead is taking
shape, aiming to attract more
businesses, jobs and visitors to
Clean and safe
environment
a tidy and safe place
for people to live,
work and visit.
Page 6
Our vision
boost the economy for the whole
borough. We’ve started building
the first new Council homes
for over 20 years, helping to
create more affordable homes
across the borough. And we’re
“I am pleased to introduce our
annual report for 2013/14 which
sets out how our work over
the last year towards achieving
our vision of a thriving and
prosperous borough for our
communities.
“The report rounds up a
successful year for Dacorum
in which I am proud to
committed to providing value for
your money so been continuing
to find more efficient ways of
providing our services to you, to
maintain the everyday services
you need whilst investing in the
borough for the future.”
Community
capacity
enabling self-help and
volunteering to build
communities.
Page 7
working in partnership to
create a borough which
enables the communities of
Dacorum to thrive and
prosper.
Affordable
housing
improving and increasing
affordable homes for
local people.
Page 2
Regeneration
supporting the growth of
businesses, jobs and
investment, in the area.
Page 3
Dacorum
delivers
an efficient effective
and modern council.
Page 8
Cllr Andrew Williams,
Leader of the Council
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dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
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in voluptate velit esse cillum
Dacorum Borough Council, Civic Centre, Marlowes
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP1 1HH
est laborum.
Sally Marshall,
Chief Executive
Dacorum Borough
Council
01442 228000
www.dacorum.gov.uk
ov.uk/digest
www.dacorum.g
Find us on facebook
and twitter
News I 03
Christmas opening times
Dacorum Borough Council offices,
including our customer service centres
will be closed for Bank Holidays over
Christmas and New Year.
They are closed for the weekends before, during and
Offices closed
Old Town Hall
Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2014 and
Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December 2014,
Thursday 1 January 2015. Hemel Hempstead Customer
10am to 5.30pm
Service Centre will also be closing at 4pm on Christmas
Wednesday 24 December, 10am to 4pm
eve (Wednesday 24 December) and New Year’s eve
Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 December, closed
(Wednesday 31 December).
Monday 29 to Wednesday 31 December, 10am to 3pm
During these times you can still contact the councilhousing repairs service on 0800 018 6050 and make
payments using our 24 hour automated service on
0845 370 6070. You can find our opening times and
other services on our website at www.dacorum.gov.uk
Adventure Playgrounds
The four adventure playgrounds, Adeyfield, Bennetts
End, Chaulden, and Grovehill/Woodhall Farm, are
closed from Wednesday 24 December 2014 to
after the school holidays.
Term time opening hours, from 3.30 to 6.30pm, start
again on Monday 5 January 2015.
Thursday 1 January to Sunday 4 January 2015, closed
Cemeteries
The cemeteries in Woodwells and Heath Lane in
Hemel Hempstead, Kingshill in Berkhamsted and
Tring Cemetery are open throughout Christmas and
the New Year.
Winter opening hours
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm
Weekends and Bank Holidays 9am to 4.30pm
Thursday 1 January 2015 inclusive. They are open
The cemetery offices at Woodwells will be closed
on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December 2014, and
on the bank holidays, Thursday 25 and Friday 26
Friday 2 January 2015 from 9.30am until 5.30pm.
December 2014 and Thursday 1 January 2015.
Christmas waste collection dates
There will be changes to your waste
collection in December and January
because of the Christmas and New Year
Bank Holidays.
Garden waste
The table below shows when your bins will be collected.
Household Waste Recycling Centres on Eastman Way in
Your kerbside food caddy will be collected each week.
Hemel Hempstead or Northbridge Road in Berkhamsted.
Your waste collection will return to normal from Monday
Your new garden waste collection calendar will be
5 January 2015.
delivered as a bin hanger in late January.
Green bin collections are suspended between December
and January. You can leave any garden waste for those
months in your green bin for when collections start again
in February. You can also take your garden waste to the
Bin colour
Business
directory supports
local companies
We know that local businesses are the
life blood of our economy and are always
looking for new ways to help our local
businesses to thrive.
The Dacorum Online Business Directory for
example, which we’ve developed together with
Normal collection
Will be collected on...
Monday 22 December
Saturday 20 December
(2 days early)
Tuesday 23 December
Monday 22 December
(1 day early)
Wednesday 24 December
Tuesday 23 December
(1 day early)
Thursday 25 December
(Bank Holiday)
Wednesday 24 December
(1 day early)
business in Dacorum, to encourage a thriving
Friday 26 December
(Bank Holiday)
Saturday 27 December
(1 day later)
There is more useful information and
Thursday 1 January
(Bank Holiday)
Friday 2 January
(1 day later)
Friday 2 January
Saturday 3 January
(1 day later)
the Dacorum Growth Forum, helps promote local
companies both within the borough and beyond,
encouraging business connections in the borough
and promoting investment to the borough.
Find the local business you need, or join the
directory — www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/
business-in-hertfordshire/directory/join
This is just one of the ways that we are supporting
economy and local jobs now and for the future.
support for businesses online at
www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk with new
features and events being added every day.
Or for support and advice for your business,
contact our economic wellbeing team at
dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/contactus
04
I News
Freedom of Entry
to Royal Anglian Regiment
We have shown our recognition of the
work done by armed forces by granting
Freedom of Entry to Dacorum for The
Royal Anglian Regiment, the highest
tribute we can pay to any organisation
or service.
The Royal Anglian Regiment is only the second organisation
On behalf of the Regiment Lt Col. Brown presented the
in Dacorum to be given Freedom of Entry to the Borough,
Mayor with a copy of The History of The Royal Anglian
after RAF Halton in 2009. It gives the Regiment the right to
Regiment, detailing the 50 years since its inception in
hold ceremonial marches in the Borough, a tradition going
1964, and a plaque of the 2nd Battalion of The Royal
back to the middle ages when bodies of troops were not
Anglian Regiment, Hertfordshire's local county Battalion,
allowed to march through a borough without seeking the
nicknamed ‘The Poachers’.
permission of the Council.
“
Granting Freedom of Entry is
the Borough's way of honouring
the military service that The Royal
Anglian Regiment has given to the
community over the years.
recognises the gallant military service rendered to our
Honorary Freemen
country by its officers and personnel, and the many years'
Also honoured in the ceremony were Heather Allen
successful co-operation and shared values between the
MBE, David Furnell and Daniel Zammit, who were
residents of the borough and the men and women of The
admitted as Honorary Freemen of the Borough, the
Royal Anglian Regiment."
highest distinction the Council can give an individual
Lt Col Brown accepted the honour on behalf of the Regiment
and said "It is a huge privilege for me personally and on
“
behalf of the soldiers and Regiment to accept this honour.
in recognition and appreciation of their outstanding
contribution to Dacorum’s communities.
Pictured left: Mayor Cllr Allan Lawson bestows the
Mayor of Dacorum Cllr Allan Lawson presented a scroll
It is significant to all the men and women of the Battalion,
to the Regiment, saying "This is indeed a very special
that in the dark and challenging days of combat, occasions
occasion. Granting Freedom of Entry is the Borough's way
like this give our soldiers strength in the knowledge that
of honouring the military service that The Royal Anglian
there is a resolute community that cares for them and
Pictured right: Guard of honour from the 2nd
Regiment has given to the community over the years. It
supports them."
Battalion during the ceremony in the Council Chamber.
Freedom of The Borough to Lt. Col. Brown for The
Royal Anglian Regiment.
Tour of Britain — Best dressed window competition
Stage 6 of the Friends of Life Tour of
Britain raced to a finish at Gadebridge
Park on 12 September, having first
passed through Berkhamsted. It was an
exciting day attracting around 25,000
spectators to line the route of the UK’s
biggest professional bike race and enjoy
the celebrations in our towns.
As part of our Dacorum Look No Further campaign
to attract visitors and business to the borough, we
encouraged local businesses to get creative with their
shopfronts and take advantage of the opportunity to put
of Britain by window dressing their business along that
theme. We got some amazing entries that really added
to the spirit of the Tour for the thousands of people that
came to support the race."
The two winners chosen for their
originality and creativity were:
1. House of Elliott, Old Town,
Hemel Hempstead
2. Shu Shu, Berkhamsted
To see pictures of the other entries, visit
www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/windowcompetition
the Borough on the map at this high profile event.
A total of 11 local businesses entered the competition.
One of the judges, Rebecca Oblein, Team Leader for
Find out more contact [email protected]
Strategic Planning and Regeneration explained "We asked
or call 01442 228719.
the shops to get involved in Dacorum’s stage of the Tour
1
2
Young Dacorum I 05
Seeing the beauty YAE?
Youth Action
of recycling
Entertainers!
It might be your parents’ job to put the bins out,
but it’s never too soon for you to get clued up
on recycling. And with the changes to our waste
services this winter, it’s even more important
for us all to know what goes where (see Green
Dacorum page 7).
After a visit to our recycling depot, 15 year old Rebekah from
“In just half a day, nearly a whole bay is filled with plastics and
cans! Just looking at it, you’d think it had taken so much longer.
During summer in green collection weeks every day they can send
approximately 135 tonnes of green waste away for composting.
“Going to Cupid Green was a great experience and I enjoyed
finding out what happens behind the scenes to the things we get
rid of. I’ll definitely be helping my mum and dad with the recycling
from now on.”
Adeyfield was inspired.
By bringing together older
and younger generations, our
Youth Action Entertainers
(YAE) scheme builds
confidence in young people
whilst brightening up the lives
of some of our older residents.
Our Youth Action Entertainers are young
people who volunteer their time to help
“At Cupid Green Depot recycling is such an important process. I
entertain elderly residents in Dacorum at
learned about what happens, what it turns into and how it’s done.
events in sheltered housing schemes, care
“Almost everything is recycled, even mattresses. They rip them
homes and social or lunch clubs. The young
apart, take the metal out and recycle it to make more metal, and use
volunteers chat, serve refreshments
the filling for animal bedding. Glass is recycled into new glass and
and perform.
can also be used in road resurfacing. When the glass is spilt up into
•
different colours it is beautiful to see.
If you are aged between 10 and 19
and have a special talent you’ve
“The refuse and recycling crews start their collections at 6.45am.
always wanted to share, or maybe just
Before the day is done they would have collected from 12,400
properties using 22 vehicles.
enjoy chatting and listening, you could
volunteer. Maybe you can sing, dance,
The Rubbish Collection © Science Museum
play an instrument, recite poetry or
We visit local primary schools to talk about recycling. Please ask teachers to call us on 01442 228000 and ask for 'Waste Services'.
have some other weird and wonderful
Or download resources for schools on www.wasteaware.org.uk (click on ‘your information’).
talent you would like to share. YAE
could be just for you!
Advertisement
•
If you know of a lunch or social club, or
a home for the elderly in the Borough
that’s looking for entertainment, YAE
could be just what you’re looking for!
You can find out more at
www.dacorum.gov.uk/youth To get
involved as a volunteer or if you are
interested in booking the YAE at your
home/social group for the elderly, please
contact [email protected]
or call Heather Holden on 01442 228000.
06
I Green Dacorum
Dacorum’s community
spirit awarded
Friends of Bunkers Park (Nash
Mills) and Michael (Mick) Cox
from Hemel Hempstead are this
year’s Community Champion
Award winners. In its sixth
year, The Community Champion
Awards celebrates those people
who go the extra mile to help
keep their local area clean, safe
and green.
Cllr Julie Laws, Portfolio Holder for
Environmental Services and Sustainability
says, “Every year I am increasingly
impressed with the nominations for our
community champion awards. We aim to
recognise those people in our community
who are making the effort to make our
Borough an even more pleasant place
to live, taking a real pride in their local
area to the benefit of us all. It’s a delight
to celebrate the efforts of this year’s
champions who are doing an amazing job
of helping make Dacorum a borough we
can all be proud of.”
Friends of Bunkers Park,
Nash Mills (Group category)
Friends of Bunkers Park has been running
for the last six years and aims
to develop Bunkers Park into an important
site for wildlife for all to enjoy. The group
includes 60 local volunteers who keep
the area clear from litter — a safe and
welcoming green space for everyone to
use for exercise and enjoyment. Members
of the group have been involved in
doing butterfly surveys, clearing litter,
coppicing — which has opened up the
area to make it safer for walkers — and
making new benches from the wood
gathered from the area to make it more
sustainable. Their involvement in the park
has helped to attract more people to the
park, and the group members themselves
have developed new skills, from meadow
management to wildlife surveys and are
keen to pass it on to new members. The
thriving wildlife at Bunkers Park is a
Volunteer Alan Jackson said "This award
not only recognises the group that cut
wood, pull ragwort and litter pick during
the year but celebrates what a great open
green space we have at Bunkers Park for
the benefit of all the community. There
is always space for more helpers so if
anyone is interested in joining the Group
please contact Nash Mills Parish Clerk on
[email protected]."
Michael (Mick) Cox,
Hemel Hempstead
(Individual category)
For over ten years Michael has been
making Leverstock Green a nicer place
to live by litter picking on his daily walk
several residents that collect litter in
to the shops and keeping the area safe
Leverstock Green, the numbers are really
through his Neighbourhood Watch role.
picking up!" He helps his neighbours
Leading by example, Michael encourages
prevent crime, by closing gates, pushing
others to be considerate with their
post through the letter box and taking
litter, and even takes home the litter he
their bins in so their homes don’t
collects so he can recycle it.
become a target for burglary. Ever
testament to the hard work of this year’s
Michael said, “I am very pleased to
Community Champion group.
receive this award, although there are
helpful, Michael goes shopping for his
neighbours that can’t manage the
chore themselves.
He is a champion who has built a
strong sense of community in
Leverstock Green by his dedication
to making the neighbourhood clean
and safe for everyone.
Highly commended
Sarah Garrett from Berkhamsted for
her efforts to transform a flower
bed of nettles to a colourful oasis
of flowers that have cheered up a
well-used footpath to Berkhamsted
town centre.
The Community Champion Award is
sponsored by Arco Supplier of personal
protective equipment, workwear and
workplace safety products.
To find out more about all this
year’s winners visit
www.dacorum.gov.uk/cleansafegreen
Green Dacorum I 07
Bins on tour Get ready
for your
winners
new bins
Around a thousand of you came to our
Bins on Tour sessions across the borough
this autumn to find out more about the
new Recycle for Dacorum service.
More recycling –
less sorting
Thanks to all of you who took part in our competitions,
including — ‘Guess how many recyclables in the blue
lidded bin!’
the closest guess was 138 from Kirsty Beckwith who
We are sorting your recycling the easy way
with the new waste collection service.
has won the top prize of dinner for two at The Grove.
The new Recycle for Dacorum waste collection service will
Second prize winner: Denise Steers won a spa evening
begin on Monday 24 November. The handy cut out and
and a three course meal for two at Champneys in Tring,
keep guide here tells you what to put in each bin.
There were 139 recyclables in our sample bin — and
and third prize, a Kindle Fire went to Charlotte Barton.
receive a new blue lidded wheeled bin for mixed
Creamer, Viridor and Has-bins.
recyclables, a kerbside caddy for food waste and a free
Design a billboard
competition winner
roll of 52 kitchen caddy liners to line your existing
Congratulations to the winners of our Design
a billboard competition, whose designs were
chosen from over 300 entries from people
aged 3 to 61, to help us promote the new
Recycle for Dacorum waste collection service.
collection day may have changed.
benefits of recycling and explained the new service
changes. The five winners will have their designs used
your collection day with your new bins during the week of
24 November and we will take them to be recycled.
You will receive a garden waste calendar as a bin hanger
in late January ready for when these collections resume in
February, so please look out for it.
We have started to deliver your new bins — you should
The competition prizes have been sponsored by
The judges were looking for designs that promoted the
to use for something else please leave them out empty on
kitchen caddy.
On the blue lidded bin you will find an information pack
Please don’t start to use your new bins
until 24 November. If you have not
received your bins by this date please
email [email protected] or call
01442 228000 and ask for Waste Services.
and collection calendar. Please check the calendar as your
The new blue lidded wheeled bin will replace your old
recycling boxes giving you extra space to recycle even more
items. If you don’t want to keep your old recycling boxes
For information on
recycling for Dacorum visit
www.dacorum.gov.uk/recycling
Handy cut out and keep guide
Blue lidded bin - collected fortnightly
Green wheeled bin - collected
they are: Jordi Connor and schoolchildren Tilly Chapman
This bin is for dry recycling including:
fortnightly from February to November
(age 8), Jack Discipline (age 9), James Woodmore (age
•
Paper, magazines and
10) and Ysabelle Thomas (age 8).
directories
•
Food tins, drink cans
and aerosols (empty)
•
Mixed plastics (bottles,
tubs, pots and trays)
•
Food and drink cartons
(such as Tetra Pak)
•
Cardboard
•
Glass bottles and jars
•
Clean aluminium foil and trays
This bin is for garden
waste including:
on the side of our new refuse and recycling vehicles and
Grand prize winners were Jordi Connor in the individual
category and Tilly Chapman from Kings Langley Primary
School in the school category. The judges were impressed
with their exceptional designs, shown below. They each
received an iPad and the school will receive £100 prize.
By Jordi Connor
• Hedge prunings
•
Flowers, weeds
and shrubs
• Leaves
• Small branches
No soil, stones, rubble, cat litter or
dog poo should be put in this bin.
Kerbside caddy - collected weekly
Grey wheeled bin - collected fortnightly
This bin is for food waste including:
This bin is for non-recyclable waste including:
• Cooked and uncooked food
• Polystyrene
•
Meat, poultry and fish including bones
• Chocolate, sweet and
•
Fruit and vegetable
crisp wrappers
• Plastic bags
• Nappies
• Clingfilm
peelings
•
Tea bags and coffee
grounds
• Egg shells
• Plate scraps
By Tilly Chapman
• Grass cuttings
08
I Green Dacorum
Dreaming of a green Christmas
With all the cards, gifts, parties and large
family meals; Christmas can create a lot
of waste.
England's households will create nearly three quarters
of a million tons of extra waste this Christmas — that's
five black bin bags per household. If everything that
could be recycled in this extra rubbish were recycled,
it would save enough energy to fly Santa around the
world on Christmas Eve 64,500 times. (Figures from
The Guardian.com’s ethical living blog.)
Christmas can cost less and save you more when you
keep the three R’s in mind — reduce, reuse and recycle.
Just follow our three green easy steps:
Step one: before Christmas Send electronic Christmas cards.
Buy gifts with little packaging like beauty
treatments or theatre tickets or offer to help with
gardening or babysitting instead.
uy a Christmas tree with roots so you can plant it
B
in the garden in spring.
Replace wrapping paper with Japanese-style cloth
style wrapping called Furoshiki (search 'recycle now
Furoshiki' online.)
Keeping
it real this
Christmas?
Getting a real Christmas
tree this year? Then think
about giving it a new lease
of life in the new year
– either by planting it in
your garden for next year
or by recycling it.
On Sunday 11 January 2015 you can take your tree to
one of our three Christmas tree recycling points (listed
right) where they will be chipped for plant bedding
to be used in flower beds across the Borough. If you
Step two: on Christmas Day Put all your food waste in your new kerbside caddy
which can take cooked and raw food waste.
glass jars can be used for storing food items in
the future.
Step three: after Christmas calendar this December.
For more information on recycling visit
www.dacorum.gov.uk/recycling or call 01442 228000
and ask for Waste Services. There are more ideas for a
greener Christmas at www.recyclenow.com
Recycle your real Christmas tree at our tree
chipping sites (see article below).
Love your Christmas leftovers — for creative reuse
recipes, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.
Pass on any Christmas presents you don’t want to
charity shops, local community raffles or through
www.freecycle.org.
Take any extra waste to the Household Waste
Recycling Centre on Eastman Way (Hemel
Hempstead) or Northbridge Road (Berkhamsted) or
use your blue lidded bin to recycle your cardboard,
paper, magazines, plastics, food and drink cans and
glass bottles and jars.
Christmas tree recycling points
Berkhamsted: Water Lane Car Park (behind Tesco
Store), HP4 3AP
Sunday 11 January 9.30am to 4pm
Keep up to date with
waste text alerts
Extreme weather conditions, like snow and ice,
can cause disruption to your waste collections.
Hemel Hempstead: Cupid Green Depot, HP2 7BA
You can get up to date information about your bin
Sunday 11 January 9.30am to 4pm
collections sent straight to your mobile phone.
To sign up for these alerts just text ‘DBC waste’
Tring: Tring Garden Centre, Bulbourne Road, HP23 5HF
followed by your house number and postcode to
Sunday 11 January 10.30am to 4.30pm
60777. For example: DBC waste 80 HP4 2DR.
You’ll be able to collect your chippings from here on
Monday 12 January 9.30am – 12.30pm
Your initial text will be charged at your standard
network rate but you will not be charged to
receive alerts.
trees at any other recycling sites will be treated as flytipping. If you live in Tring or Berkhamsted, 1st Tring
For more information on refuse and recycling visit
Scouts and 1st Berkhamsted Scout groups are offering
www.dacorum.gov.uk/recycling.
to collect trees from your home and take them to the
recycling points for a donation.
For a collection from Berkhamsted (not including
Northchurch or surrounding villages) please leave
a message on 07825 032157 or email
bring a bag to take them home in.
For a tree collection from Tring or Aldbury please
Can’t make this date?
email [email protected]
If you are unable to bring your tree to the recycling
or to Northbridge Road in Berkhamsted. Leaving your
top tips in our waste advent
Reuse your Christmas cards as gift tags for next year.
[email protected]
Recycling Centre on Eastman Way in Hemel Hempstead
@dacorumbc for more waste
Before you take your items out to your new blue
lidded bin, see if you can re-use them, for example
would like your chippings to use in your garden, please
points, you can take it to the Household Waste
Follow us on Twitter
For more information on Christmas Tree Recycling
visit www.dacorum.gov.uk/recycling
Your Dacorum I 09
In winter we’re not the
only ones who head for
the warmth of home.
What do you think of Dacorum Digest?
Please take a few minutes to tell us and
you could win £50 shopping vouchers.
7. How do you most prefer to find out about Council
Dacorum Digest
Posters in
public places
All completed surveys we receive by 10 December
Local newspaper
stories
Council web site
Local newspaper
advertisements
Social media
(eg Facebook,
Twitter, Google+)
Leaflets through
your door
Public meetings
At this time of year you may find uninvited pests come
will be entered in a prize draw to win £50 love2shop
calling, drawn to the shelter and perhaps to food left out for
vouchers. If you prefer you can complete the survey
birds. The brown rat is the most common garden pest in the
online at www.dacorum.gov.uk/digest.
winter, but small rodents, mice, glis glis and squirrels may
Dacorum Digest is a free publication produced
all get into your home if they get the chance.
by Dacorum Borough Council – aiming to provide
Rats can cause damage from gnawing, and can spread serious
information about what the Council has been
diseases. Our pest control team have some useful advice on
doing for the Borough, and useful reminders and
how to prevent, or deal with, pests like rats this winter.
information for residents.
How can I prevent rat problems?
1. How much, on average, do you read of
• Check around your house for any places pests may be
25%-50% (some)
soffits and fascias, air bricks and grates or holes drilled
Over 75%
(all or nearly all)
Less than 25%
50-75% (most)
None
• Trim back overgrown bushes or trees which may give
rodents access to the roof or upper floors.
• Rats will eat almost anything and will happily nest in
piles of rubbish or wood — so keep your outside area as
clear as possible; clean up fallen fruit, dog mess, rubbish
and waste food.
How can I tell I have a rat problem?
• Check for droppings — in rats they are 10-20mm long.
• Look out for evidence of gnawing, scratching noises
and burrows.
•
Brown rats can differ in shade from red, to brown and
grey (a different coloured rat may be an escaped pet!)
Its tail is normally as long as its body.
What do I do if I have a rat problem?
interesting, enjoyable and easy to read?
Very good
Fair
Good
Poor
3. I feel better informed about Dacorum Borough
Council services after reading Dacorum Digest?
Under 18
45 to 54
18 to 24
55 to 64
Disagree
25 to 34
65 to 74
Agree
Strongly
disagree
35 to 44
75 and over
Neither agree
nor disagree
4. Please tell us which article(s) from this issue you
found most informative
Prize draw
If you would like to be included in our prize draw,
open to residents of Dacorum aged 18 or over, please
give us your contact details here. The information you
give us will be processed in accordance with the Data
Protection Act 1998 and will not be passed on to any
variety of pests in your home, including rats and mice, at
third parties.
competitive rates. We also offer reduced prices for our
appointment by calling 01442 228000 and asking for
10. Your Age
Strongly agree
In the home - Our pest control team can treat a
www.dacorum.gov.uk/pests and you can book an
could improve Dacorum Digest?
based on how it looks and whether articles are
infestation. We can help…
Full details and prices are on our website at
8. Do you have any other comments about how we
2. What is your overall opinion of Dacorum Digest,
•
Contact a pest control professional to treat the rat
tenants and Dacorum Card holders.
Leaflets in
public places
Dacorum Digest?
Please tick...
hole as small as 15mm wide.
services? (tick up to 3 options)
Other
able to get into your property. Look out for damaged
for cables and seal any gaps — a mouse can get into a
“
“
Dealing with Tell us what you think
winter pests
Terms and conditions apply, see
5. Please tell us about anything you’d like to see
www.dacorum.gov.uk/digest or contact
more information on in future editions of Dacorum
[email protected], 01442 228694
Digest?
to request a copy.
pest control.
Please enter me into the free prize draw
In a workplace – We provide cost-effective pest
Name
control services to businesses which cover a variety of
Daytime phone number
rodents and insects. Our service is tailored to the needs
of each individual business. For more information, or to
book a free survey of the premises, business customers
can contact us at [email protected] or phone
the team on 01442 228543.
For more advice on dealing with a variety of pests,
go to www.dacorum.gov.uk/pests
6. Dacorum Digest costs around 16p per issue
(including delivery to each household in the borough).
Do you think this is good value for money?
Email address
Thank you for your time, please return your
Good value
for money
Poor value
for money
completed survey by 10 December to
Fair value
for money
Unsure
Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1BR.
Dacorum Digest, Freepost HH120, Civic Centre,
10
I Your Dacorum
£1.2 million
council investment
£2.4 million
Heritage Lottery Fund
investment
Gade
and original
Marlowes Zone
Here we’ll be bringing together
facilities for education, civic,
residential and community
use to create an attractive,
vibrant hub.
£1.4
Jellicoe Water
Gardens Zone
We will be restoring the
Jellicoe Water Gardens to
their former glory and making
them more accessible so that
everyone can enjoy them.
million
investment
Old Town Zone
We have now completed work
here. The historic character of
the Old Town has been preserved
in a modern, accessible and
attractive setting for a new
generation of visitors
to enjoy.
Hospital Zone
We are planning to support
development that will
regenerate the hospital
area for health, residential,
educational and
business use.
£18.6
million
Timing and
total investment
to be confirmed
investment
Hemel Hempstead Your town centre is evolving
What’s happening in Marlowes?
We began improvements to the Marlowes shopping area back in August and shoppers
and visitors are watching the transformation take place.
Hemel Hempstead town centre shops remain open
throughout the construction work and it’s ‘business
as usual’. The major facelift is part of a £30 million
wave of regeneration which flows from the newly
renovated Old Town through to the Plough (or to most
of us ‘magic’) roundabout.
Our construction company Greenford has been preparing
large tree pits ready for a new avenue of trees under
which they’ll be installing a series of play areas.
New paving has now been laid on Moor End Road, while
other new features still to come include a space for
events, an interactive fountain of water jets and
better seating.
It’s our priority to minimise disruption to shops and
aiming to get everything finished by autumn 2015.
If you’ve got questions about the construction work on
Marlowes, drop in to Greenford’s new information centre
at 250 Marlowes, near Primark, open from 8.30am to
4.30pm Monday to Friday and speak to communications
officer Tara McCartney.
You can also email her at [email protected] or
call 07879 993325.
You may have also noticed the changes happening
to Bank Court at the moment. Our housing partner
Hightown Praetorian and Churches is redeveloping the
upper floors to create affordable homes. This work
is due to be completed in 2015 and will bring more
residents to the town centre.
businesses, so work will pause over Christmas. We’re
Beyond borough boundaries
Transforming Hemel into an attractive shopping destination will benefit the whole borough — as well as helping
Maria Pace and Sharon
Floyd from Chesham: “We
to attract visitors from outside Dacorum. We took to the street to hear what you think of it so far.
come in from Chesham as there
Sarah West from Grovehill:
David Fegan from Watford:
“I work at the hospital and come
“I’m visiting from Watford. It’s easy
into town on my lunch break. It will
for me to walk along Marlowes, as
be good to have more greenery and
it’s straight unlike in shopping malls.
nicer places to sit, and should look
There are lots of seats and it’s also
lovely when it’s all done. I think I’ll
easy to park. I’m looking forward
be coming here more often then.”
to coming back to see the work
finished.”
are more shops and it’s nearer
than Watford. It’s also flat and
open space, so easily accessible
when you’re in a wheelchair.
When it’s finished we’ll get an ice
cream, relax and just enjoy watching people
go by. It’s work in progress at the moment, but we don’t
mind being inconvenienced for a while because we’re
looking forward to the result.”
Your Dacorum I 11
Advertisement
Pedestrianised
shopping area and
Bank Court project
shoes • handbags • hats and fascinators
£4 million
investment
Marlowes
Shopping Zone
Two projects will be combined to
create an attractive and
welcoming environment to
encourage more visitors and
shoppers.
Plough Zone
Work on and around the Plough
roundabout (known fondly as the
magic roundabout) will
make it easier to travel through
the town centre, and turn this into
a welcoming gateway to
Hemel Hempstead.
Gerrards Cross
01753 884900
Berkhamsted
01442 864748
Pinner
0208 966 9424
www.shushushops.co.uk
Advertisement
£600 k
Bus
Interchange
project
investment
£2 million+
investment
GIFTS, JEWELLERY
& ACCESSORIES
Tel: 01442 405 325
11 High Street
Hemel Hempstead, Herts
HP1 3AA
Water Gardens goes back to its roots
Other parts of our Hemel Evolution
in preparation for the £3.6 million
programme are also coming along.
restoration works (which includes
We’ve now put the final touches to plans
for restoring the Jellicoe Water Gardens,
which have become far more overgrown
a £2.4 million investment from the
Heritage Lottery Fund and BIG
Lottery Fund).
with trees since designer Geoffrey
In the spring, there will be more
Jellicoe’s original plan was completed
changes when the current play area
in 1962.
will be closed to create space for the
He created an open grass verge along
Waterhouse Street and views through
the flower garden from Bank Court –
www.thehouseofelliott.net
www.mijojewellery.co.uk
houseofelliottgifts
sessions throughout the restoration
the town centre in the spring — a key
in 2015 which everyone is welcome
part of Hemel Hempstead’s evolution.
to attend.
We’re currently choosing a contractor
site compound. We’ll then be creating
Come to our first workshop on the
to build the modern, easily accessible
a brand new play area on the existing
morning of Saturday 7 February and
facility which will have new passenger
Water Gardens south car park.
learn now to look after your roses.
information and waiting facilities
Places are limited so book your place
to improve your experience of
by calling 01442 228000 and asking
public transport.
but this has been lost over the years.
How does your garden grow?
In early January we will therefore
If you’d like to improve your own
for ‘Emma Cooper’ or emailing
be taking the Jellicoe Water Gardens
garden, we’re working with the
[email protected]
‘back to its roots’ and removing a
Friends of Jellicoe Water Gardens to
significant number of these later trees
plan activities and horticultural skills
We’ll work closely with the bus
operators and Hertfordshire County
On the buses
Council (who are in charge of roads) to
We are on schedule to start work on
keep disruption to a minimum and keep
a new bus interchange in the heart of
you informed of any changes.
Stay in the know
Keep up-to-date with the changes taking place to Hemel Hempstead
town centre.
• S
ign up for ‘About Town’, our new monthly newsletter for local residents
and businesses. Go to www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/signup or call
01442 228000 and ask for 'town centre team'.
• V
isit www.dacorum.gov.uk/hemelevolution or email
[email protected]
• L
ike us on facebook.com/dacorum or follow us on Twitter
@dacorumBC #HemelEvo
Artist’s impression of new play area
12
I Community
Interfaith ‘14
Celebrating this year’s interfaith week
— ‘Interfaith 14’ brings together people
of all faiths and beliefs from across the
borough on one day, in one place; to
help us understand each other and build
friendships between our communities.
and try the arts, crafts, facepainting or Henna body art.
Join us for what promises to be an interesting and
For more information on Dacorum’s Interfaith
varied day for all ages, including guest speakers,
Network and Interfaith Week go to
workshops and discussions and a dance display. Come
www.dacorum.gov.uk/interfaith
Sunday 23 November, 2–6pm
Adeyfield Community Centre
Mayor Allan Lawson and MP Mike Penning will be
there on the day to show their support for interfaith.
Please come along, everyone is welcome, regardless of
your faith or beliefs.
along and browse the stalls, enjoy the refreshments
Budding barista
volunteers wanted
It provides an opportunity for people who have
struggled with addiction and other issues to develop
“
If you are a team player aged 16
or over, with people skills and an
enthusiasm for raising money for
local charities then this could be the
opportunity for you.
“
Coffee Ethic is looking for volunteers to
help run their coffee kiosks in Dacorum.
Provided by our community partner,
Druglink, Coffee Ethic is a social enterprise
that doesn’t just sell hot drinks.
Community
trigger helps
anti-social
behaviour
Victims of persistent anti-social
behaviour (ASB) now have a greater
voice with the new ‘community trigger’
mechanism for Dacorum.
The community trigger gives residents an official
new skills running the service, that will help them
way to ask agencies such as the police, the fire
move forward in their lives, and reinvests the money
service and the Council to review how they have
it makes into helping others.
responded to complaints of anti-social behaviour.
Be part of a different
volunteering experience
If you report the same incident of ASB three times
We are looking for more volunteers to help us run the
can activate the Community Trigger — requiring
service, with full training and flexible days and times
local agencies to get together to find a solution
available. If you are a team player aged 16 or over,
to the problem. The trigger can be activated by
with people skills and an enthusiasm for raising money
others on your behalf with your permission.
in six months, and feel that agencies have not
made every effort to address the behaviour you
for local charities then this could be the opportunity
It’s not the first port-of-call — organisations will
for you. Working as part of a team of baristas under
still have their own complaints procedures, and
the direction and support of the manager, you will
you will still have the opportunity to complain
learn to make speciality coffees and hot drinks. It’s
to the Ombudsman or Independent Police
a great opportunity to learn new skills and valuable
Complaints Commission if you are unhappy about
experience in the workplace with the opportunity to
the services you have received from an individual
meet and interact with a diverse group of people.
officer or service. The trigger is to be used if you
believe that there has been a failure to respond
to your complaint.
“
It provides an opportunity for
people who have struggled with
addiction and other issues to
develop new skills.
To find out more, or to activate the community
trigger, go to www.dacorum.gov.uk/
For an application or to find out more contact
communitytrigger or call 01442 228000
[email protected] or call 01923 260733.
and ask for the Anti-Social Behaviour Team.
Follow them on Twitter @coffeeethic
“
Community I 13
Get set, go Dacorum
Our new ‘Get set, go Dacorum’ project
kicked off this autumn, which, with
funding from the Sports Lottery Fund,
aims to get all our residents active,
involved and healthy.
Working together
to make a difference
In Dacorum we have always had the
benefit of very active charity and
community organisations, helping
to make a difference to the lives of
our residents.
Around 250 local families joined us in Highfield’s
Randall’s Park to celebrate the project with a day of
Now, ten of our largest local voluntary organisations
free activities including family sports activities, free
have joined together, in a partnership called Dacortium,
bike checks by the bike mechanic, and the popular
to support local people in times of crisis.
‘smoothie bike’ which uses pedal power to blend a
Organisations already making a big difference in our
delicious and healthy drink! We were also joined at the
local community including Age UK, the Citizen’s Advice
event by our partners at Herts County Council’s Stop
Bureau, DENS, Druglink and Relate are now all working
Smoking Service, Sportspace, Rush Judo, Herts Sports
together. Through Dacortium, these organisations will
Partnership, Join In Hertfordshire, and Hertfordshire
be able to take a joined up approach to supporting
Health Walks, promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.
residents — making it easier for you to access a whole
Find out more about how
range of support services when you need them most.
to get involved, and see
Dacortium is also proving to be really cost effective
the current programme of
for these voluntary organisations as it reduces the
activities across the borough,
administration required to bid for services and manage
with more being added all
the services they provide.
the time.
www.getsetgodacorum.co.uk, or contact
If you’re a local voluntary sector organisation
[email protected].
and would like to find out more please visit
www.dacortium.org.uk for more information.
Supporting people
with dementia
Dementia is an escalating problem —
around 1 in 3 people aged over 65 will be
diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime
according to the Alzheimer’s Society. We’re
supporting Age UK Dacorum’s work to help
those suffering from dementia and their
families and carers.
of practical and emotional support and provide the
For many people who are affected by dementia having
family or individual to teach them new skills such as
the correct support at an early stage is vital. It’s not
therapeutic activities relaxation, chair based exercise
just the person who has dementia who needs support
and hand massage, and introduce simple solutions
but also the carers, family members and even family
such as memory and repetition training, and life books.
friends, so Age UK Dacorum is developing support for
And while helping with simple task like shopping and
all those affected.
collecting prescriptions, volunteers can help point
already successful COGs in Tring and Berkhamsted, with
plans to develop more across the borough.
A community support service is also being developed
to help with daily living tasks, practical ideas and
new skills which can help make daily living easier.
Staff and volunteers will coach and work with the
families in the direction of other support and advice.
“
It’s not just the person who has
dementia who needs support but
also the carers, family members
and even family friends.
“
Cognitive Stimulation Groups (COGs) help engage people
person’s carer with five hours of vital respite. There are
with mild to moderate dementia in structured activities
such as recollection, reading, singing, music and
movement, chatting and interactive games devised to
stimulate the memory. The COGs clubs offer five hours
If you are affected by dementia, would like to be trained to be a dementia volunteer or would like to make a
donation please contact Melanie or Janet at Dacorum Age UK on 01442 259049.
14
I What’s on
The Old Town Hall events
9
10
engagement and he leaves for the sea, his
heart broken. A wealthy Captain Wentworth
then returns and treats Anne with cold
indifference. Will he ever forgive her?
Tickets: £12, £10 concession, £9 Dacorum
Card, £5 UpStaged and Schools
11
13
6. Where the White Stops
Tuesday 2 December, 8pm
Using song and playful physical storytelling,
Antler Productions tell the great adventure
of Crab, battling against icy blizzards and
mythical beasts and her tragic obsession with
the unknown.
2
4
15
Tickets: £12, £10 concession, £9 Dacorum
Card, £5 UpStaged
Film
7. Million Dollar Arm
Thursday 20 November, 11am
Tickets: £3 (PG) 124 minutes
The Cellar Club has re-opened and is already proving a big hit
with the audiences and hirers alike. If you haven’t had a chance
to see this amazing new space, then we suggest you book up for
a comedy or music night very soon. Aside from the Cellar Club
the main house programme continues to offer a fine choice of
theatre, film, music and family shows. If you try one new thing
this winter, why not try The Old Town Hall.
The Cellar Club
1. Comedy fortnightly on Mondays
Screaming Blue Murder is at regular
fortnightly intervals
Monday 24 November — Andrew Bird,
Jessica Fostekew, Compere Bennett Arron
Monday 8 December — Ian Cognito, Richard
Morton, Compere Windsor
Shows start 9pm, doors 8pm
Tickets: £8, £6 concession / Dacorum Card
3. Acoustic Café fourth Thursday
each month
All details and guest artists are announced
on oldtownhall.co.uk and the Acoustic Cafe
Facebook page. Get down early for a floor spot!
Thursday 27 November, 7.30pm until late
Tickets: £5, £2 performers
Theatre
4. A November Day
Wednesday 19 November, 7pm
2. Jazz third Thursday each month
The Cellar Club in association with Herts Jazz
are proud to present a smokin’ hot line up of
some the best jazz performers in the region.
Tickets: £12, £10 concession, £8 Herts Jazz
Members / Dacorum Card, £5 Students and
Under 21s
Clark Tracey Quintet
Thursday 20 November, 8pm
In forgotten boxes in an attic, a woman
discovers the story of her grandfather, a
survivor of the First World War, and his
unexpected encounter with a stray dog who
knew no boundaries. With evocative puppet
characters, live music and an ever-changing
set. Suitable for: 10+
Tickets: £12, £10 concession, £9 Dacorum
Card, £5 UpStaged
Award winning drummer Clarke Tracey leads
this band of superb young musicians.
5. Persuasion by Jane Austen
Jean Toussaint Quartet
Thursday 18 December, 8pm
Once upon a time, Anne Elliot and Frederick
Wentworth were hopelessly in love.
Persuaded by her family that he is not of
her standing, she reluctantly ends their
Grammy award-winning US jazz saxophone
giant Toussaint leads this impressive band.
Friday 28 November, 8pm
13. The Snow Queen
Filled with the strange beauty of ice-cold
winter and the warmth of true love, this
Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale translates
perfectly into one of Image Musical Theatre’s
much loved participation musicals. With the
opportunity for the whole audience to sing
the chorus songs and for some children to
participate as characters, this show is live
theatre at its best.
Sunday 21 December, 11am and 2.30pm
Monday 22 December, 11am
Tuesday 23 December, 11am and 2.30pm
Wednesday 24 December, 11am
Tickets: £5.50, £4 Dacorum Card
Music
14. Richard Navarro
Friday 12 December, 8pm
8. Venus In Fur
Using live looping, Richard seamlessly layers
together vocals, violin, trumpet, percussion
and piano to create powerful arrangements
alongside Nicholas Thurston on double bass.
Wednesday 26 November, 7.30pm
Tickets: £3 (15) 96 minutes
Tickets: £10, £8 concession, £7.50 Dacorum
Card, £5 UpStaged
9. The Two Faces of January
Wednesday 3 December, 7.30pm and
Tuesday 9 December, 2pm
Tickets: £3 (12a) 96 minutes
10. It’s a Wonderful Life
Thursday 18 December, 11am
Tickets: £3 (U) 130 minutes
11. Planes: Fire and Rescue
Saturday 15 November, 11am
When world-famous air racer Dusty (Dane
Cook) learns he may never race again, he
shifts gears and is launched into the world
of aerial firefighting where he learns what
it takes to become a true hero. Enjoy free
colouring in the café before and after the film!
Tickets: £2.50 (U) 100 minutes
Families - Christmas Fun
12. Muppets Christmas Carol
Saturday 13 December, 11am
It is Christmas Eve in 19th century London
but the festive cheer is not shared by miser
extraordinaire, Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael
Caine) who is more interested in profit than
celebration. Join us with the anarchic gang of
Muppets as Scrooge is held accountable for
his dastardly ways by the Ghosts of Christmas
Past, Present, and Future. Enjoy free colouring
in the cafe before and after the film!
Tickets: £2.50 (U) 85 minutes
The Old Town Hall, High Street, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 3AE • oldtownhall.co.uk
Facebook.com/theoldtownhallarts Twitter @theoldtownhall
BOOK TICKETS: In person Monday to Friday, 12 to 5.30pm and from one hour before the performance.
By phone 01442 228091 Monday to Friday, 12 to 5.30pm. Postage fee £1.50 per transaction.
Online select your own seat oldtownhall.co.uk
Exhibitions
15. A Photographic Story
of Hemel Hempstead
Stories of Lives: Stories of
Nations by Lynda Sargent
FREE
Tuesday 2 to Wednesday 24 December
Lynda has the viewpoint that the story of
a nation is made up of the thousands and
millions of stories of individual lives. Every
person and every place has character and
through the lens of her camera, Lynda
endeavours to capture the value of that
character. She has photographed life in the
Balkans and the Middle East, and more
recently has turned her lens locally to capture
the character of Hemel Hempstead.
What’s on I 15
Events throughout Dacorum
Tring Together
Christmas Festival
Christmas Events
FREE
Friday 28 November, 6.30pm to 9.30pm
High Street, Tring
Kings Langley Christmas
Lights Festival
FREE
Saturday 29 November 3pm to 7pm
High Street, Kings Langley
Berkhamsted
Festival of Lights
FREE
Hemel Hempstead
Old Town Christmas
light switch on
FREE
Saturday 15 November, 4pm to 7pm
High Street, Hemel Hempstead
FREE
Sunday 30 November
Activities from 4.30pm, light switch
on at 5.30pm.
Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead
Discover Dacorum
for all seasons
Want to know where to go and what to do in and around
Dacorum? Do you want to be the first to know about events
coming up and special offers?
Sign up for the free Discover Dacorum
newsletter and get local events and offers
sent directly to your inbox.
The newsletter will be out each season
— just one of the ways our Dacorum
Look No Further campaign is working to
promote tourism and attract more visitors
to the borough, together with our tourism
partnership of local venues and attractions.
If you missed the first Discover Dacorum
newsletter this autumn, it’s available online
at www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk/enjoy
where you can also sign up to make sure
you don’t miss out on offers and exciting
events in the next issue, coming later
this winter.
Find out more at www.dacorumlooknofurther.co.uk,
contact [email protected] or 01442 228719.
Every day until 31 December, 10am to 4pm
Entry £1
From the visitor centre stroll through the
woodland discovering more about winter
and Christmas time at Ashridge and complete
some of the 50 things to do before you’re
11 3/4 on the way. Follow your map, answer
the questions and return to collect your
sticker reward.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashridge
Christmas Fair,
Ashridge Estate
Sunday 30 November from 3.30pm
High Street, Berkhamsted
Marlowes Christmas
light switch on
Ashridge Christmas trail
FREE
Sunday 7 December, 10am to 3.30pm
Fill yourself with festive cheer and your bags
with festive goodies at Ashridge’s annual
Christmas fair.
Hospice of St Francis Santa Dash
Sunday 14 December
£15 adult, £5 child, £35 family.
Riverside, Hemel Hempstead
Annual 2.5 mile festive charity run
Saturday 17 January 2015, 7.30pm
Tickets £12 Adult, £10 Concessions, £5 for
ages 18 and under.
Featuring a piano concerto played by BBC
Young Musician of the Year Martin James
Bartlett. Also including Tchaikovsky
Symphony No 5.
The Centenary Theatre, Berkhamsted School,
Kings Road, Berkhamsted.
Book online at www.dacorumso.weebly.com
Regular Events
Rock Choir
Thursdays 8pm-9.30pm
South Hill Centre, Cemetery Hill,
Hemel Hempstead
Free singing session with the Hemel
Hempstead/Berkhamsted Rock Choir run by
singing teacher Pippa Gearing. Rock Choir is
the no audition, no need to read music choir.
The best thing of all is you can try a FREE
singing taster session before you join.
Go to www.rockchoir.com to find out more
and book your place.
Register at www.stfrancis.org.uk
Other Events
Minimum age: 10 years
Interfaith ’14
TT Tinies
Sunday 23 November, 2 – 6pm
Adeyfield Community Centre
Celebrating this year’s interfaith week,
‘Interfaith 14’ brings together people of all
faiths and beliefs from across the borough on
one day, in one place; to help us understand
each other and build friendships between
our communities.
Traditional NewYear’s
Day Ramble
Dacorum Symphony Orchestra,
Celebrity Concert
FREE
Saturdays 9-9.30am term time
£10 one off registration fee (includes
Theatretrain T-shirt)
Free drama class for 3 year olds, introducing
them to the performing arts, helping them
express themselves, build confidence and
make friends!
[email protected]
www.theatretrain.co.uk
01923 869275
Thursday 1 January 2015 10.30am
Meet at Berkhamsted Station
Old Town Street Markets
A circular walk with a stop for lunch in
Aldbury. Walk organised by the Berkhamsted
Citizens Association and Led by Paul Crosland.
First Sunday in every month
11am to 3pm
High Street, Hemel Hempstead
Find out more at
www.berkhamstedcitizens.org.uk
Run by Saunders Markets:
www.saundersmarkets.co.uk
Old Town Street Markets, Hemel Hempstead
16
I Engage
If you live in Dacorum, the Council is part of your every day life, so it’s important
you have a say in the decisions that affect you. This section in Dacorum Digest is
to let you know about the opportunities coming up for you to get involved in local
decision making.
Dacorum Borough Council committee meetings
Meetings of the Council, its Cabinet and
Tuesday 25 November
Strategic Planning and Environment
other committees are open to the public.
Things being discussed include management
You can arrange to speak at one of these
of The Elms new homeless hostel, an update
Tuesday 11 November
Tuesday 27 January
Council tenants
and leaseholders.
meetings if they are discussing an issue
on how our services are performing and
Housing and Community
We involve tenants and leaseholders
of particular interest to you. Go to
how we manage risk.
Wednesday 12 November
Wednesday 28 January
in how we run our housing service
Finance and Resources
representatives from our council tenants
Tuesday 6 January
and leaseholders. The committees
Joint budget meeting
help us shape housing policy, give us
(all overview and scrutiny committees)
Wednesday 10 December
Wednesday 4 February
feedback on how the housing service is
www.dacorum.gov.uk/participate
for more information.
Tuesday 16 December
Things being discussed include
through committees made up of
All meetings take place at Hemel
redevelopment at Bank Court and Hemel
Hempstead Civic Centre and start at 7.30pm
Hempstead town centre, planning guidance
with the exception of Development Control
on waste storage, managing air quality and
which starts at 7pm.
the Council’s budget for 2015/16.
Full Council
Tuesday 20 January
Health in Dacorum
All 51 Council Members attend full Council
Things being discussed include a new bus
If you would like to come along
Wednesday 7 January
meetings, held around seven or eight times
interchange in Hemel Hempstead town
and observe any of the tenant and
Development Control Committee
a year. They debate and agree decisions on
centre, how developers will contribute
leaseholder meetings contact us at
behalf of local residents.
to community facilities with the new
This committee makes decisions on
planning applications.
Thursday 27 November
Thursday 18 December
Thursday 15 January
[email protected]
Wednesday 19 November
Things being discussed include decisions
referred from recent Cabinet meetings.
Cabinet Meetings
The Council's Cabinet has five senior
Councillors who meet every month to make
key decisions. The Cabinet’s decisions can
be ‘called in’ to be looked at in more detail
by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee, or
may need to be approved by Full Council.
Community Infrastructure Levy and how we
manage risk.
Overview and Scrutiny
Committees
These meet regularly to discuss service
performance and improvements and to
check the decisions made by the Cabinet.
They are made up of Council Members from
across the political parties and encourage
views from local people, community groups
and our partner organisations.
performing and tell us what we’re doing
well - or need to do better
or call 01442 228000 and ask for
Tenant Involvement. They are held in
the evening at Hemel Hempstead
Civic Centre.
Other committee meetings:
Tenant and
Leaseholder committee
Licensing (Health and Safety
and Enforcement)
Tuesday 25 November
Tuesday 3 February
Monday 1 December
Housing Maintenance and
Environment Committee
Audit Committee
Wednesday 17 December
Thursday 20 November
Thursday 18 December
Standards Committee
Thursday 4 December
Have your say...
views via the internet. The email group is designed to be
Dacorum Digest reader survey
flexible and convenient to you. Once you join, you will be
What do you think of this issue of Dacorum Digest? Is there
We ask for your views on a variety of issues in
surveys throughout the year.
invited to take part in online consultations. You won’t have to
something you would have changed or done differently?
participate in every consultation — only the ones that
Tell us your views in our reader survey on page 9 or at
you feel relevant to you or would like to give us your opinion
www.dacorum.gov.uk/digest. Or join our reader panel and
about. To join you must be aged 16 or over, live in Dacorum
you can help us make it even more useful and relevant for
and be able to complete our surveys online.
local people.
Register at www.dacorum.gov.uk/consultation where you’ll
To find out more visit www.dacorum.gov.uk/consultation
also find more information, or email haveyoursay@dacorum.
email [email protected] or call Communications on
gov.uk with any questions.
01442 228000.
Neighbourhood Action groups operate in:
•
Highfield
Hemel Hempstead Town
You can fill them in online at
www.dacorum.gov.uk/consultation
Online consultation group
Want to give us your views on a range of council issues?
Join our online consultation group and let us have your
Neighbourhood Action
The Neighbourhood action groups in Dacorum give local
residents the chance to identify local issues and work with
Councillors and other organisations to make a difference in
their neighbourhood.
•
Adeyfield
•
•
Bennetts End
•
Woodhall Farm, Grovehill and Piccotts End
•
Felden, Bourne End and Box Lane
•
Watling
•
Gadebridge, Warners End and Chaulden
Find out more: www.dacorum.gov.uk/neighbourhoodaction Email: [email protected] or call 01442 228000 and ask for Neighbourhood Action.
Meeting times and agendas are correct at the time of printing, but can change. Meeting agendas are published a week before the meeting date. You can find the most up to
date details, agendas, minutes and meeting dates on our website at www.dacorum.gov.uk/councilmeetings