North Herts News

Regional Spatial Strategy

Eric Pickles, the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has written to all councils announcing the demise of the Regional Spatial Strategy. This removes the obligation from local planning authorities, such as North Herts District Council, to make provision for building vast numbers of houses, which would have needed to consume a lot of green belt. However, we do still have to make provision for genuine need.
The challenge now is to establish just what that genuine need is. We are looking at a “nil net migration” strategy. This will make provision for new houses based on the predicted movement into and out of the area, the number of births and deaths, the shift in the age profile of the population, marriage and divorce rates and the desire for people to live outside the extended family. It assumes no large scale immigration from either the north or from outside the UK, and assumes a steady level for jobs (which have actually been falling in Hertfordshire for several years), not the artificially high growth predictions of the last government.
Having established how many houses are needed, we need to decide what form they will take – owner occupied or rented, private or social (the so called Affordable Housing).
And finally, we need to decide where they will be built. As always there will be consultation and I am always interested in your views.

North Hertfordshire Homes

Seven years ago, NHDC transferred its housing stock to an independent trust called North Hertfordshire Homes, which provides 8,700 homes for rent including, over 800 sheltered homes. In Codicote, this includes houses in roads such as Meadow Way, Valley Rd, Tower Rd, and the Poynders Meadow sheltered housing scheme. I am privileged to have been appointed as one of the council’s five representatives on the board. I look forward to working with Kevin Thompson – the chief executive – and the other members of the board, to provide social rented housing in North Herts and the surrounding area.

Economic Development

As well as being reappointed as portfolio holder for planning and transport, I am being tasked with economic development. I will be working with business leaders across the district to find ways the district council can facilitate growth in both towns and the rural economy.

Councillor’s Open Forum

The next date is Wednesday 27th July, 7.30 p.m. at my house. There will be a lot to discuss with the changes in planning guidelines, the budget cuts and the challenges to get us back on the road to recovery, plus any topics you want to raise. Please let me know if you plan to attend.
Enjoy the summer

Tom

 

Cllr Tom Brindley
NHDC@todeka.co.uk
01438 829098
07956 381764
Taveta, Cowards Lane, Codicote SG4 8UN