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Following the death of Sarah Everard earlier this year, the County Community Safety Unit (CCSU) is currently producing a needs assessment on Violence Against Women and Girls. As part of this work, they are undertaking a public survey of Hertfordshire residents to understand their experiences and feelings of personal safety, which will help inform recommendations for the needs assessment.

The survey is now open and will remain open until Friday 9^th July and can be accessed using the weblink below.

https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/XFEVX8/

Please note the survey is open to males and females of all ages to enable us to compare experiences and feelings of safety between males and females, therefore we ask that the survey is any advertising refers to the survey as the ‘Hertfordshire Personal Safety Survey’ to ensure that males are equally encouraged to take part in the survey.

Of course, also feel free to complete the survey yourself if you live or work in Hertfordshire.

STATEMENT ON LONDON COLNEY VILLAGE CLUB

The concerns of residents were listened to when earlier this year, the Parish
Council took a decision to seek legal advice on the status of the London Colney Village Club.

There is very little that the Parish Council can do in relation to the management of the site.  We asked our solicitor to review documents available from a variety of sources, about the current legal status of the trust, which administers the club at the site in St Anne’s Road.  They recommended that a legal opinion should be sought from a barrister who specialised in trust law.  The barrister considered the case and has raised concerns about the action undertaken to remove the previous trustees and set up the new company as a sole trustee of the site.

It is the barrister’s opinion that as long at the club exists, the property should be held in trust and that the Club cannot distribute the property, or its proceeds, amongst themselves.  Once the club ceases to exist, the property or its proceeds cannot be for the benefit of individual members because the trust deed states that it should be applied for charitable purposes.

What is clear is that the current situation is precarious and could result in the site being lost to the village.  This has put the Parish Council in a difficult situation.  If we do nothing, then the land could be lost.  Earlier this year, the company that now ‘own’ the site, were nearly struck off from Companies House, after they failed to register any return.  This would have meant that the land would have been seized by the Crown.  The Parish Council stepped in and our solicitor wrote to Companies House asking them to not undertake this course of action, and a return was subsequently filed.

Our solicitor has written to the concerned parties and outlined a course of action to be considered including:

1. Appointing the company who currently owns the site as a Trustee.
2. Transferring the legal title in the property from the company to the company and two other trustees.

We have urged all parties involved to seek legal advice which could include making an application to the Court that has jurisdiction to direct Trustees how to deal with Trust property.

The Parish Council has objected to the planning application being considered by the District Council as we do not consider this is the best use of the site.  We appreciate that it is the Company’s intention to develop the site so they can invest in the club’s future.  However, it does appear that the current legal situation is not in the best interests of the site which has resulted in the legal title of the property being transferred out of the Trust.

Furthermore, we have registered the site as an Asset of Community Value under the Localism Act. This means that if the owner of the site were to commence to sell, the parish council has six months to raise the funds to purchase the site.  It does not mean that the owners have to accept the parish council’s offer but would give the parish council the opportunity to formulate an action plan to save the site.

London Colney Primary Schools and Nurseries have been invited to join the Walk to School Week for Sustfest21 from Monday 24th May – Friday 25th May.

Walking has so many benefits from physical to mental wellbeing; aiding concentration and creativity and creating safer, less polluted and more welcoming streets. All that makes for a happy, healthy child set up for success in and out of the classroom.

The Paddling Pool at Morris Recreation Ground field is to close due to a health and safety report which highlighted that the pool presents too many risks to children. Originally the pool was closed due to government guidance in Summer 2020 and will not reopen in Summer 2021.

At its annual council meeting, members supported a replacement water feature in the form of a splash pad with at least ten-play items along with the infrastructure needed to run the facility.

Newly elected Chairman of London Colney Parish Council, Cllr Malcolm MacMillan, who opened the pool in 1990 as Mayor of St Albans said,” It’s sad to see one of the best-used facilities over the past 30 years being closed, but it is simply not fit for purpose when the risks to children are considered.”  He added that “It is really good news for the children of the village as they will be able to have fun in the sun in the future, in a safer environment.”

The splash pad will have a life span of 25 years. The wastewater will be collected and stored, to be used for irrigation of floral displays, cricket wickets and cleaning equipment.  The chair of the finance committee, Cllr Dreda Gordon confirmed that the total project cost will be £200,000. She added, “We are in a financially favourable situation having received a receipt for the lease of the new surgery being developed at the community centre. It is marvellous to be able to fund a facility that will give great fun to children over the next 25 years.”

It is anticipated that the splash pad will be open next summer.

For further information please contact the parish council 01727 821314

The March 2021 edition of the London Colney News will be coming through your letterboxes from tomorrow! Delivery to the whole village will be finished by Wednesday 10th March.

Until your copy comes through the door you can read the online version here!

Following Monday nights announcement that vulnerable people should start shielding again, London Colney Parish Council has re-launched its Good Neighbour Scheme to support those who have been advised to shield.

During the initial lockdown the scheme helped over 85 vulnerable residents and households with essential tasks such as collecting prescriptions and food shopping. London Colney came together with over 50 people volunteering to help with the scheme.

Anyone who is shielding following Monday nights announcement and is in need of assistance with food shopping or collecting prescriptions can call the Good Neighbour Scheme:

Monday – Friday between 10am – 1pm on Tel: 01727 261105.

Outside these hours you will be able to leave a message.

If you would like to volunteer to help with the scheme, please email Antonia Wingate-Martin on events@londoncolney-pc.gov.uk.

Parish Council Chairman Cllr. Katherine Gardner said ‘We know that the latest lockdown announcement will have caused a lot of worry to some of our vulnerable residents, who do not have family close by to help with essential tasks. It is important that our residents who are shielding are kept safe and supported by their community.”

London Colney Parish Councillors have voted unanimously to work towards using quiet fireworks at its annual Firework Night Display. London Colney Parish Council will be working within their current firework contract to provide a quieter display with a view to have fully quiet displays in the future.

In response to calls from the RSPCA and local residents, Cllr. ‘Dreda Gordon, put forward a motion urging the Council to stop using noisy fireworks because of the distress and harm to pets and wildlife and also to some vulnerable adults.

After the meeting Cllr. Gordon said. ‘I am so pleased that London Colney will be leading by example, changing to quiet fireworks for our firework display. We want our residents to continue to enjoy this very popular event, but we also acknowledge that noisy fireworks can cause enormous anxieties for some people with learning disabilities as well as animals. As a cat owner I’m mightily glad the Parish Council has taken this initiative and I hope other groups and individuals will follow our example

Cllr. ‘Dreda Gordon
Mob. No. 07968 224901
Email: cllr.d.gordon@gmail.com

For further information please contact the Parish Council office on 01727 821314

Councillor Katherine Gardner, Chair of London Colney Parish Council and London Colney Parish Council would like to wish all residents a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Thank you to Bowmansgreen Primary School and Music Teacher Mrs H Street for providing us with the soundtrack of Away in a Manger sung by Bowmansgreen School pupils + others.

A thank you also goes to our Community Partner “The Filmers”  and Pan Hapeshis for helping to put together our Christmas Video.

London Colney Remembers  

We Will Remember Them.

London Colney held a Service of Remembrance at the War Memorial on Sunday 8^th November to remember those who have fallen.  Due to the current Government COVID-19 restrictions the service was live streamed for residents to watch from the safety of their homes.  In normal years London Colney has a large parade from the Caledon Community Centre to the War Memorial, with up to 1500 people in attendance.

This year the service was led by Reverend Pat Jones, of St. Peters Church, London Colney and was attended by the Her Majesty the Queens Representative Deputy Lieutenant for Hertfordshire Mrs Marion Brown. The memorial service marked the national two minute silence followed by the laying of wreaths by The Deputy Lieutenant, County Councillor ‘Dreda Gordon and Parish Council Chair – Councillor Katherine Gardner. The names of the fallen were read out by Rev’d Pat Jones and Councillor Malcolm MacMillan.  Piper Matthew MacRae provided poignant bagpipe music in the absence of hymns this year.

Local organisations who would have normally attended the War Memorial to lay their wreaths as part of the ceremony attended earlier in the morning to lay their wreaths and pay their respects privately.

London Colney residents were invited to attend the War Memorial after 11:30am to pay their respects privately provided that COVID-19 guidance was followed at all times.

Councillor Katherine Gardner, Chair of London Colney Parish Council and District Councillor said “It was important that we could mark this important day and pay our respects in London Colney, I was so pleased we were able to live stream the moving service for residents to view from the safety of their homes.”

We would like to thank Pan Hepeshis of ‘The Filmers’, a local resident and business owner for making the live streaming available to residents.