To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader of the Council, Member of the Cabinet or the Head of Paid Service.
Minutes:
Mayor
“Thanks to those who attended my Afternoon Tea in August where we raised just shy of £800 for my chosen charity, Herts Young Homeless. I sincerely hope you will all be able to come along to my next fundraising event my Italian Night at the Terranova Restaurant on Wednesday 9th October starting at 7pm. Please also note in your diaries my Quiz Night, more details to follow, which will be held at Campus West on Friday 15 November.
Before we start our meeting, on behalf of Cabinet Members, Councillors, the Deputy Mayor and all of us at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to local resident, Louise Fiddes, on her outstanding success at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. Louise, who is a member of Hatfield Swimming Club, won Gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke, one of incredible 49 gold medals won by Team GB. She also won bronze in the 200m freestyle. Louise is an example to us all of how hard work and dedication to her sport paid off. I would also like to extend our congratulations to Jodie Williams who is originally from Welwyn Garden City. Jodie won a bronze medal as part of the women’s 4x400m relay, playing a crucial role running in the heats. Finally, many congratulations to all of Team GB who finished second in the Paralympics medal table, winning a whopping 124 medals overall. Can I ask everyone to please show their appreciation for Louise, Jodie and all of Team GB for everything that they achieved at the 2024 Paralympics.”
Executive Member of Resources
“In advance of the conclusion of the Government's spending Review and the upcoming Autumn Budget Statement, the Leader Deputy Leader, and I have this week written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to highlights to continued financial pressure on local government.
In the letter we've outlined that substantial level of funding cuts that we've faced under the previous governments which, for this Council is equivalent to over 7 million pounds per annum. We also highlighted the additional burdens that have been placed on local government and the additional financial pressures being caused by previous government policy. We have called on the chancellor to reaffirm the government's commitment to a longer term financial settlements and have asked that consideration is given to the pressures that we face such as committing to the continuation of homelessness funding, which we hope will enable us to support residents facing these challenges.
In the letter we took the opportunity to thank the chancellor for the lifting of the restriction on how we utilise Right to Buy receipts per our Affordable Housing Programme and the commitment that has been made to resolving the audits backlog in local government. Whilst we expect a single year settlement for the upcoming year, I hope to be able to provide a positive updates regarding a multi-year settlement at a later meeting, which will provide the Council with some much-needed certainty in the medium term, following years successive funding cuts and single year settlements.”
Executive Member for Environment
“I would like to inform everyone that has been our most successful year in Anglia in Bloom, finishing first in four categories: best business Improvement district category for Welwyn Garden City, best sustainable planting category for Anniversary Gardens, best Local Authority floral display category for Howardsgate/Parkway Welwyn Garden City and best public open space category for Howardsgate/Parkway. We also received the bronze award for cemeteries and Crematoria category for Oak Hill cemetery.
We are rightly proud of our green open spaces and heritage in Welwyn Hatfield and have worked hard to increase the more sustainable planting and make environmental improvements. I would like to thank the Anglia in Bloom judges for their dedication and time to the competition, and also thank our contracted staff, partners and volunteers who have made such successful year.
I would also like to provide an update on the next stage of our response to fly tipping. One of the key priorities for the joint administration has been tackling the blight of fly tipping and littering in our borough. We know that is also a priority for residents. Clearing fly tipping and clean-up littering in our streets costs the Council's thousands each year and negatively impact on the visual amenity of our borough.
During the first year of the joint administration we focus our resources on enforcement of rubbish being dumped as a result we issued over 100 fixed penalty notices, which was the highest number we have issued and also was the highest in Hertfordshire, as well as being five times more than the previous year.
Our robust approach to fly tipping enforcement has been further enhanced with the introduction of a contract with District Enforcement Limited (DEL) which commenced on the 24th of this month. DEL will proactively be patrolling all of our borough, especially fly tipping hotspot, searching for evidence of waste offences and issuing of fixed penalty notices. They will also undertake patrols to observe littering by people. Those who do not pay their fixed penalty notices will be subject to prosecution. I am happy to confirm that this new service will be at no cost to the Council.
We will also be running a communications campaign alongside this enhanced enforcement to inform residents about proper waste disposal, waste reduction and recycling and enforcement actions taken.
Once we get things up and running, DEL will also be happy to do walk along with ward councillors to get a better idea of problem areas as well as participate in any litter picks. I am looking forward to work together with DEL and for our residents to see positive changes this partnership will make.”