It really will teach me to get involved. The Christmas lights saga rolls on, and it seems that I only have myself to blame. My colleagues on the Town Council seemed to looking over my shoulder at the invisible man behind me to bring some order to the situation, so I appear to be in the position of everyone offering to help, but at the end of the day, it will be my fault whatever happens. The one advantage over the Chamber that I have, is the reason I stood for election in May 1995 was because I believed that instead of moaning about was goes on, I could at least have a go myself, even if I fall flat on my face. So, with just two months to organise things from an almost standing start to switch on, I, and my fellow Councillors (even if they don't know it yet) will do our best to sort out the situation and attempt to ensure procedures are in place for future years. If nothing else comes good, the Borough Council will be devising a policy for Christmas lights throughout the Borough with ourselves and Tring already having had monies approved by the committees, although at the time of writing, still has to be approved by the full Council, and I understand Kings Langley have submitted an application for a grant towards their lights.
The Town Planning Committee is still discussing the County Structure Plan following the Examination In Public as we still have an opportunity to make representations. The Council is still concerned that green belt land is still being considered for building on before all the other possibilities have been exhausted. I am still concerned that all these plans are based on predictions provided by central government and filtered down so that everyone blames everyone else. The Borough have worked on the theory that you only have to house your own population and also accept the government view that households will be smaller with more one-parent families and single people wanting a place of their own. The planners talk about housing density and talk about so many houses per hectare (whatever they are) and I suspect the areas required for housing have been worked out using these criteria. However, if the number of people in each household is expected to be less, then perhaps the density should be calculated by expected residents per hectare, rather than buildings.
The Environment Committee meting held on Monday 8th September was preceded by a talk by Mr Tim Webb from the Environment Agency about the Alleviation of Low Flows Study document concerned with the River Bulbourne. It appears the low flow is caused by a lack of water and I keep hearing that the Bulbourne always has had a variable flow. I realise my memory is not the best, but, I'm sure when I used to deliver newspapers down St. Johns Well Lane the watercress beds always had water flowing and the rickety wooden 'bridge' was always 'damp' underfoot. Yes, I know the watercress beds are no longer there, but that is not due to lack of water, but to the  change in eating habits. The fact that watercress needs a good flow of water and those beds lasted for a fair number of years does suggest that the apparent acceptance of variation in flow must be in error.
The other main subject that this committee addresses is the allotments. Following a campaign to get people interested in taking up allotments, the Town Clerk reports that we have had a surge of enquiries over the past few weeks, so if you want to keep your garden tidy with a few bushes and acres of lawn, but want to taste the freshness of your own fruit and vegetables (why do bought carrots never taste the same as those grown yourself?) or just save a few bob and keep fit, then the Town Clerk (228945) is the person to contact. Oh, I forgot, it will cost you something around £10 a year for the average garden size plot - what a bargain.
During this Council cycle, I have asked for suggestions to celebrate the millennium as council initiatives mainly because I believe, whether we like it or not, the true reason for the celebration will not be uppermost in many peoples minds. I have been taken to task by some for assuming that we should do something as not every faith uses the same calendar as the one used by the majority. My answer is always 'how do you make any appointment if you are using a different calendar?'. I hope that at least some of the suggestions incorporate the underlying reason for the whole event and not just consider it a milestone in time as I understand the multi-million pound 'thing' being erected at Greenwich is designed to be. I realise you have to have vision, but I'm a little old fashioned and think of all the good that could be done with the money saved by perhaps scaling it down a little. Mind you, without the banks and the French, would the Channel Tunnel have been built?
The other little matter that is being addressed this cycle is next years budget. So far, it looks as though I may have a minor battle on my hands between those who wish to spend most of the money your Council have built up in reserve to provide facilities a town our size (and growing, if County/Borough have their way) expects, without waiting for handouts from the higher levels of local government and those who feel we have raised enough without spending it, so let's not raise anymore and preferably cut our precept demands. Compared with this, the Christmas Lights are a doodle.
You may just have time to bend my ear on next years budget, or any other matter, if you pop in and see me at the regular 'surgery' in the Town Hall on the third Saturday of every month between 10am and noon. See, I got that plug in, now for another one. The Council is thinking about ways to get you involved and informed. We've tried evening public meetings, we've tried the 'Conqueror', we've tried an informal 'tea and biscuits' evening and we have the Saturday morning 'surgery'. Teh-Raa - how about a market stall. We really do want to get you all involved and let you know what is going on, as well as you telling us what you want from us. If you have any good ideas on this subject, then let me know, otherwise, we shall just have to keep trying.
The Boundary Commission has produced it's draft report and it is suggesting that the boundaries are shuffled around so that that most of the northern part of the town, that is the Berkhamsted Common side of the High Street is Berkhamsted Castle ward, the Hemel Hempstead end from Kings/Chesham Road to Bourne End is Berkhamsted East and the rest Berkhamsted West. The number of Borough Councillors is reduced from seven to six with Berkhamsted East (my ward!!) losing the odd one. The commission is not really concerned with Parish boundaries, but has taken on board the comments of the Council with the suggestion that we should be increased in  numbers from 13 to 15. At the present time the Sunnyside/Shrublands/Castle Town Council wards are different from the Borough ones, but I believe common sense will prevail and the two line up in the end. The other main proposal is to elect the Council in thirds instead of the current all change (or not, hopefully) every four years. As I said, these are draft proposals, primarily concerning us Borough members but you still have time to make your own comments and suggestions, either to the Commission direct or via your local representative.