Hitchin Nub News caught up with Hitchin Initiative on the latest plans for a town council.

How much will it cost residents? 

HI - "Similarly to the parishes of St. Ippolyts and Ickleford, the Local Authority would take an annual fee (a precept) with the council tax on behalf on behalf of the Town Council anticipated to be approximately £50 a year on a Band D property, which would raise about £600,000 to spend on the town and our community. It is important to note that unlike Council Tax that goes towards services that benefit the entire District, this money would be for the direct benefit of Hitchin residents".

How is it impacted by the wider reform of local government going on?

HI - "Hertfordshire is currently a two-tiered Council system, with more local facilities such as bins, leisure centres and grass cutting being undertaken by North Herts Council and education, highway matters (potholes!), libraries and adult and child social care, amongst other matters, being undertaken by Hertfordshire County Council". 

"This is anticipated to change. As the Government promote the formation of unitary authorities we are highly likely to see the merger of North Herts Council with other Council's in Hertfordshire, including the County Council functions. At the time of writing there is a consultation underway proposing the merger of North Herts, East Herts, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield, Broxbourne and Hertfordshire County Council as one North and East Hertfordshire Authority. It is thought that this change will start to occur from 2027 onwards".

"With the formation of unitary authorities, local communities such as Hitchin become more remote from the day to day functions of the Council. We become a small voice in a much larger crowd. The formation of a Town Council is likely to become compulsory at the time a unitary authority is formed to ensure a local level of democracy continues to exist".

"By voting for a Town Council now, we are giving ourselves, as a community, the opportunity to become established in a way that suits how local residents want to see the Town managed, rather than a rushed formulaic approach as a smaller cog in a bigger re-structure". 

"This provides us with an opportunity to see Hitchin shaped in the way we, as residents, want our community to evolve and to prevent Hitchin becoming lost in the bigger North and East Hertfordshire proposals".

What are the current issues in Hitchin it could address better?

"Hitchin town, with its c.35.000 residents, has no meaningful community voice, unlike the surrounding villages of Ickleford, Pirton & St. Ippolyts that have Parish Councils and manyother towns in Hertfordshire who have their own Town Councils. We are currently under represented on issues such as planning and development, transportation, public services, and environmental protection".

"We can improve on social wellbeing in our community, enhancing projects that engage youths and groups for the elderly". 

"We would like to replicate the great work the BID Rangers do keeping the town center safe and clean by replicating the same in the residential areas. This would ensure that repairs to public facilities are actioned quicker, anti social behaviour is acted on sooner, graffiti and flyposting cleaned, overflowing or limited dog waste bins are acted on so that our green spaces and communal areas are more pleasant and safe for all generations".

Will it be dominated by traditional political parties?

 "The concept of a Town Council for Hitchin is based on Community and intended to be politically neutral. The appointed Town Clerk and voluntary Town Councillors representing each Ward may need to liaise with Political stakeholders to lobby for and against matters that benefit or affect the residential community, but the vision, voice and spend would be dealt with by the Town Councillors via committees and assisted by the Town Clerk to ensure any decision is sound and in accordance with the law".  

How will they decide whether to create it or not?

 "Councillors of North Herts Council will vote a final decision late summer 2025, taking into consideration the feedback Hitchin residents provide to their online CGR questionnaire which closes on 9 May"