Priorities for the year ahead
The delivery of an enviro-tech enterprise zone is a new priority project for the coming year for St Albans City and District Council.
The Council is creating the site with a number of other organisations including Dacorum Borough Council and Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
It is intended that the initiative will attract businesses focused on green technology and generate jobs.
Firms re-locating to the zone, in the north west of the District, will benefit from business rate relief and other incentives.
The delivery of the zone is one of 13 priority projects identified by the Council as part of its Corporate Plan for 2018-23. The other 12 are already part of the rolling programme.
An update of the Corporate Plan and Budget is to be given to a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet on Thursday 19 October.
The Plan forms the Council’s overall strategy to meet its key objectives. These are being cost-effective while creating a vibrant economy and a thriving community to ensure the District is a great place to live and work.
Among the other priorities are the completion of a new Museum and Art Gallery and the redevelopment of the old museum site on Hatfield Road into housing.
Additionally, the Council is committed to redeveloping a 7.5 acre site near the Alban Arena and providing a new sport and cultural centre in Harpenden.
The Plan also commits the Council to producing a Local Plan which identifies potential locations in the District for housing and employment developments.
A programme of improvements to Council houses and flats as well as sheltered accommodation will continue. Affordable homes on disused garage sites in Sandridge will be built and new locations for further such developments will be explored
Options for an improved St Albans athletics track will be looked at and further work undertaken to boost the recycling rate to over 60%.
The digital transformation of the Council’s customer services will continue and a review of the management of its car parks and parking enforcement will take place.
As regards the 2018-2019 Budget, a total of £1.025 million in savings or additional income have been identified to help balance the books.
There will be an average 1.6% increase in the Council’s share of the Council Tax precept including an increase provisionally set at 0.6% for the City Neighbourhoods Committee (CNC).
The CNC maintains community assets, including playgrounds and parks, in a large swathe of St Albans.
The overall figure for Council Tax will be announced in February when the precepts to help fund the police service, parish councils and Hertfordshire County Council are decided.
The Corporate Plan and Budget is being studied by the Council’s Budget Scrutiny Task and Finish Group. Its feedback will be considered at next month’s Cabinet meeting.
Following this, a meeting of the full Council in December will be asked to approve the Budget and the Council Tax increase.
Councillor Alec Campbell, the Council’s Leader, said: “The Corporate Plan is a vital piece of work. It sets out how we propose to serve our residents, businesses, voluntary groups and other customers over the next five years.
“The new addition to our priority projects is the delivery, in association with our partners, of the new Enviro-Tech Enterprise Zone.
“This will further establish the District as a renowned centre of excellence for green technology and will help create high quality jobs.
“We also look forward in the coming year to developing more affordable homes, completing the new Museum and Art Gallery and continuing our work on providing Harpenden with new sports and cultural facilities.
“This is an ambitious package and demonstrates our commitment to improving our public services and making a positive impact on the lives of local people.”
To view the Cabinet papers on the Corporate Plan and Budget, please see: bit.ly/2ysbBRg
Councillor contact:
Cllr Alec Campbell, Leader of St Albans City and District Council.
Tel: 07793 550200; email: cllr.a.campbell@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City & District Council.
Tel: 01727 296130; email: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk