February is here and St Albans is leaning into it. Love is in the air, if you know where to look, there are a few subtle signs dotted around town. Spot one? Let me know.

Beyond Valentine’s season, there’s a lot happening across Hertfordshire right now. The volume and quality of local news this month is hard to ignore, from community events to decisions that affect everyday life.

Scroll on to find the latest stories and updates from your town, and a few things worth your attention this week.

A warm welcome to all our new subscribers - thank you for joining the Hertstown community! Have an event happening in your area - send it to us? We’d love to share your events. Feel free to support my local journalism work by buying me coffee - by clicking the link.

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The Mutually Accepted Resignation Scheme (MARS), approved on 27 January, offers severance payments to staff as an alternative to compulsory redundancies as the council responds to ongoing financial pressure.

Deputy Chief Executive Scott Crudgington said the scheme follows earlier measures such as recruitment freezes and reduced agency spending. Applications will be tightly controlled to protect essential services, with some staff excluded and roles only left vacant if no cover is required.

Conservative councillors raised concerns about staff morale, with Cllr Richard Roberts calling the move “an element of desperation.” Trade union consultation will take place before the scheme is rolled out. Severance terms and expected uptake have not been disclosed.

Source: Local Democracy Reporting Service

North Herts Council has completed its annual deep clean of the River Hiz running through central Hitchin, draining the waterway to remove 25 tonnes of silt, debris, and rubbish accumulated over the past year.

Using a sluice-gated balancing tank system, workers cleared 63,000 litres of material across five tanker loads, including silt, leaves, sticks, stones, and litter thrown into the river.

Key locations outside St Mary's Church and Peppermint Court on Whinbush Road received intensive cleaning before the river was successfully refilled on Friday, January 23.

The annual maintenance programme ensures unimpeded river flow through the balancing tank system, improves Hitchin's visual appeal, and supports healthier habitats for ducks, birds, and aquatic life.

The sheer volume of material removed highlights both the importance of the annual clean and the ongoing challenge of keeping urban waterways healthy.

More details: www.north-herts.gov.uk/hitchins-river-hiz

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Work has officially begun on the major regeneration of The Oval in Stevenage, marking the start of a transformation that will deliver affordable homes, community spaces, shops, and a new market square to the long-standing neighbourhood.

Stevenage Borough Council councillors and officers joined Bugler Group for today's ground-breaking ceremony, launching a project that promises to reshape one of the town's established communities.

Phase one will deliver 91 modern independent living homes alongside a new church, community building, and play spaces, forming part of the council's wider housing development programme.

The regeneration aims to create a vibrant hub where residents can live, shop, and gather, replacing aging infrastructure with contemporary facilities designed for modern community life.

The addition of a welcoming market square signals the council's ambition to restore The Oval as a thriving neighbourhood center.

Full details: https://ow.ly/yizP50Y6bep

Max Holloway will step down as leader of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council on Friday, 6 February, following the collapse of Labour’s coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

The split followed Labour cabinet decisions that overruled full council votes on local government reorganisation and delaying May’s elections. The Lib Dems formally triggered the coalition dispute clause on 16 January.

Cllr Holloway said he resigned to prioritise the local community, while Conservatives criticised Labour for overriding council decisions. Talks between Labour and Lib Dems continue, with a new leader to be elected at Friday’s council meeting.

Residents can now borrow tools for free from a new sharing station at The Howard Centre in Welwyn Garden City.

Borrow It’s Sharing Station allows people to borrow items such as drills, ladders, jet washers, sewing machines, and garden tools, reducing costs and waste. The scheme is supported by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

Access is free for social housing tenants and residents on means-tested benefits, with a small subscription for others.

👉 Find out more: https://orlo.uk/tg8V2

Weekly dementia-friendly swimming sessions are now running at Hatfield Swim Centre.

The sessions provide a calm, supportive environment for people living with dementia and their carers, offering gentle exercise and social support. A qualified swim teacher is available to assist.

🗓 Every Thursday, 12pm–1pm
💷 £3.60 (carers swim free)
🔑 Lockers £1 or token

📧 Book: [email protected] or at reception

Adults aged 40–74 in Hatfield can access free NHS Health Checks to spot early signs of serious conditions.

The checks assess risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia, often before symptoms appear.

🗓 Monday, 9 February | 10am–3:40pm
📍 Friendship House, Wellfield Close, Hatfield, AL10 0BU
💷 Free for eligible residents

👉 Check eligibility & book: https://orlo.uk/qfk0T

Hertsmere residents have until February 25 to comment on the council's draft revenue and capital budgets for 2026/27 before councillors make final spending decisions.

The public consultation gives residents direct input on how millions of pounds will be allocated across services, infrastructure, and projects for the next financial year.

Comments submitted through the survey will be reviewed before the budget goes to a full council meeting on February 25, 2026, for final approval.

Share your views: https://www.hertsmere.gov.uk/budget-consultation

Bushey Museum and Art Gallery's latest exhibition showcasing portraits by Sir Hubert von Herkomer, the town's most celebrated painter, opened last Friday with a private viewing attended by Deputy Mayor Cllr Mia Handley.

The exhibition features impressive examples of Herkomer's work ranging from intimate personal portraits to grand public commissions, offering insight into the artist who made Bushey his home and creative base.

Hertsmere Borough councillors, museum volunteers, trustees, and invited guests attended the opening event before the exhibition opened to the public.

Sir Hubert von Herkomer established his renowned art school in Bushey in the late 19th century, transforming the town into an internationally recognized center for artistic education and attracting students from around the world.

Visit the Exhibition: Thursday–Sunday, 11am–4pm Bushey Museum and Art Gallery Rudolph Road, Bushey (off the High Street)

Residents in Dickinsons ward, Croxley Green, have until midnight on Tuesday, 3 February to register to vote in a parish council by-election.

The by-election on Thursday, 19 February will fill a vacant seat on Croxley Green Parish Council. Anyone who misses the registration deadline will not be able to vote.

👉 More information: https://orlo.uk/gOuVS | https://orlo.uk/zCYZh

Residents can share their views on Rickmansworth Aquadrome at informal drop-in sessions with the council's Community Engagement Officer.

The sessions take place at the Aquadrome café on Wednesdays, February 4 and 11, from 12pm to 2pm.

Visitors can ask questions about the site, learn about upcoming activities, and hear updates on the Aquadrome restoration project in an open, informal setting.

The weekly drop-ins offer a direct line to the council about the future of one of the area's most popular green spaces.

Can't attend? Share your thoughts or questions online: https://orlo.uk/x7t77

Dacorum’s Den is open to individuals and small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover under £500,000, supporting innovative ideas with potential to grow locally.

Alongside the cash prize, winners receive marketing support from Bloom with BB, professional pitch coaching from Sales Geek, and free membership of the Connect Networking Group. The competition is backed by sponsors including Beeches Group, West Herts College, Sureserve Compliance Central, and Cardo Group.

🗓 Applications close at midday on Wednesday, 25 March 2026
👉 Apply: https://orlo.uk/sCjpV

Residents can make their own lanterns for Dacorum’s River of Light Lantern Parade at free workshops taking place during February half term.

Lanterns created at the sessions will feature in the parade, giving families and community groups the chance to see their designs light up the procession.

Places are limited and booking is essential. The workshops are run by Nysa Projects and Community Action Dacorum, with the parade funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

👉 Full details & booking: https://orlo.uk/nMJCZ

Low-income households in Dacorum can apply for free energy-saving home upgrades through a £2.8 million government-funded scheme.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant, delivered with E.ON, supports homes with poor energy efficiency that are expensive to heat. Eligible properties can receive insulation, air source heat pumps, smart heating controls, and solar panels.

Homeowners, private landlords, and renters with landlord consent can apply if they live in Dacorum, have an EPC rating of D–G, and a household income under £36,000. Successful applicants will receive a free home survey to assess suitable upgrades.

The improvements could cut energy bills by hundreds of pounds a year while reducing carbon emissions.

👉 Full details & apply: https://orlo.uk/5zLRZ

A new on-demand bus service is now linking Hemel Hempstead Train Station, The Marlowes, and Maylands Business Park.

The HertsLynx Maylands Link runs hourly from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, providing a flexible alternative to fixed bus routes and car travel. Journeys must be booked via the HertsLynx app and only operate when requested, helping to reduce unnecessary journeys and emissions.

The service pauses daily between 10am and 11am for driver handover and is aimed at improving access to Maylands Business Park while making it easier for residents and shoppers to reach the town centre and rail services.

👉 Book your journey: https://orlo.uk/h37yP

Watford businesses will vote next month on plans to invest £1.8 million over five years to transform Clarendon Road into a Business Improvement District (BID).

The proposed BID would cover the area from Watford Junction to Beecham Grove, with eligible businesses paying a 2% levy on rateable values over £12,000, or 0.25% for charities. Voting runs from 20 February to 19 March, with a simple majority required to approve the scheme.

Watford Borough Council says the BID would create a safer, better connected business environment, following strong support for the town centre BID last year. The proposal has cross-party backing, with councillors describing it as a boost for the area and the wider town.

Cassiobury Park’s paddling pools are closed for winter while major infrastructure upgrades take place.

The popular attraction is having its recirculation water tanks replaced to reduce future maintenance and secure the long-term operation of the facility, which has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors since opening in 2017.

Works are being coordinated by Ustigate Waterplay and are scheduled during the winter closure to minimise disruption. The upgraded paddling pools are expected to reopen for summer 2026.

Watford Borough Council will freeze its share of council tax for 2026/27 while increasing investment in parks, leisure, and local infrastructure.

Band D council tax will remain at £308.51 a year (£5.93 per week), below inflation, while maintaining funding for weekly waste collections, street cleaning, parks, and community services.

Planned investments include stronger environmental enforcement, improvements to Cassiobury Park, major upgrades at Woodside and Central leisure centres, progress toward net-zero carbon by 2030, and enhancements to cycling, roads, playgrounds, and public spaces across the town.

An open, supportive conversation about end-of-life wishes, planning, and care.

🗓 Monday, 16 February 2026
⏰ 2:00pm–4:00pm (doors open 1:45pm)
📍 Leavesden Green Community Hub, Clarke Way, Watford WD25 0BW
💷 Free (booking required)

What you’ll learn

Speakers

🎟 Booking required:
👉 https://secure.renniegrovepeace.org/page/183229/data/1

🤝 Supported by Watford Borough Council, Bridgewater Surgeries, NHS West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, and NHS Central London Community Healthcare

👥 Everyone welcome

St Albans City and District Council has received a C2 housing rating following its first inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing.

The inspection, carried out in October 2025 and completed in January 2026, found “some weaknesses requiring improvement,” placing the council in the upper half of housing providers nationally. Of 68 councils inspected by December 2025, around a third received a C2 rating.

Three of Hertfordshire’s four councils that still own housing stock have now been rated C2 in their first inspections. The regulator assessed standards including safety and quality, neighbourhoods, tenancy, and transparency.

Council leaders said the process had helped clarify areas for improvement, with the regulator continuing to monitor progress toward a future C1 rating.

👉 Full report: gov.uk/government/publications/st-albans-city-and-district-council

The upper level of Bowers Way West car park in Harpenden will close for around five weeks from Monday, 9 February, for structural repairs.

The 85-space upper storey will be shut for safety reasons while steel beam repairs are carried out. The lower level, with 67 spaces, will remain open. The upper deck is expected to reopen on Monday, 16 March.

The car park is owned by Sainsbury’s and operated by St Albans City and District Council, which says it has no control over the closure. Drivers are advised to use Bowers Way East, Amenbury Lane car parks, or nearby on-street bays.

👉 Alternative parking details: stalbans.gov.uk/car-parks-and-street-pay-and-display

All St Albans residents can access free expert advice on cutting energy bills through the district's Home Energy Support Service, regardless of income.

The service provides guidance on local grants, switching suppliers, reducing home energy use, and referrals to trusted contractors.

With energy costs remaining high, the free support offers practical steps to lower bills and improve home efficiency without means-testing or eligibility restrictions.

Contact: Phone: 0800 107 0044 (weekdays 9am-5pm) Email: [email protected] Website: www.bhbh.org.uk

A three-year rewilding programme has boosted butterfly populations by 350% across St Albans District, proving nature can rapidly recover with simple interventions.

The Council transformed 40 grassland sites by seeding wildflowers and cutting mowing to once yearly, working with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation.

This year recorded 23 butterfly species, led by Meadow Brown, Small White, and Large White.

Butterflies are key environmental health indicators. As pollinators, they help plants reproduce and provide vital food for birds and wildlife. Their presence signals a thriving ecosystem.

Support Nature at Home:

Small garden changes create wildlife corridors that strengthen entire ecosystems.

What’s on at St. Albans Museum

What’s On BEAM Hertford

Whats on The Spotlight Hoddesdon

ST ALBANS

9°C 🌡️ 5°C | 🌧 Drizzle and gentle breeze | ☀️ Sunrise 07:40 Sunset 16:51

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Editor-in-chief | Emeka Ogbonnaya

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