One of the less publicised activities of your local Councillors is the representation on outside bodies. I don't mean governorships to local schools, but things like the CVS, Youth Club etc. One of the items on the Community Action Committee at the end of June was the reports from various appointees to various outside bodies and the one thing that struck me was the suggestion that they had very little influence on what goes on.
For my part, I am the council appointed member on two local church charities and was a trustee of the Town Hall Trust. The Church Charities allow us to take an important part in the decision making and encourage us to get involved. On the other hand, the Youth Management Committee never called either Geraldine (Corry) or myself to any meeting during 1997/8 and we both felt it a bit of a shame. A similar thing existed whilst I was involved with the Town Hall Trust. I was very conscious that I was listened to politely and 'they who must be obeyed' just carried on their own merry way. They were surprised when I withdrew my nomination at the November AGM (I wonder why?) and Cllr. Reay duly took my place. The reason I bring this to your attention, is just that I would like you to pop into the Town Hall Foyer when you next pass and that is all I will say.

The Towns Environment Committee met on June 8th and water supplies on the Sunnyside Allotments were high on the agenda. It appears no records are available for the location of the old rusty water pipes. The newly formed Allotment Society are looking for improved supplies and are worried that if another leak occurs then they could be without water for some time. Having looked at some of the pipe-work, I have expressed concerns that if additional tanks are to be provided, then we could be in danger of disturbing the rust holding the pipes together. Planned maintenance has to be the preferred route to ensure the essential facilities on all our allotments are not left to deteriorate, after all, the allotments are the Towns only tangible assets. Also discussed at this meeting was the idea that a Project Manager should be employed by the Council on behalf of the Canal & Riverside Partnership (CARP) using EEC funds and we were assured that it would not cost the Council (you and I) one single penny. Apart from the continuing problem of actually finding someone who meets the strict requirements to qualify for the money, I am still trying to get my head round what this person is going to do during their working week with only the Castle Street bridge project being anywhere near being fully funded and British Waterways have already allowed for a P.M.

The Towns Transport & Highways Committee met on June 15th and the main item discussed was on-street car parking by non-residents. The town is one of very few who have a main railway line station, main waterway (aka Grand Union Canal), main trunk road and town centre located within a few hundred yards. The town has lost most of its large employers and since the railway became electrified, commuters travel up to London in increasing numbers. The Berkhamsted School has seen a decline in its boarders and now large numbers of pupils either are driven or drive themselves to school. All this adds up to metal wheeled boxes being left all over the place at the bottom of the valley during the working day. I understand from the police that the highway is for the passage of vehicles and it appears to residents near to the valley bottom and town centre that this function of the highway is becoming almost impossible. Cllr. Peter Ginger brought up the thorny subject of residents parking in the affected areas at the May Borough Council meeting and this has the full support of the Town Council as well as many residents. Areas of Hemel Hempstead near the Town Centre were surveyed last year for a similar scheme, but it turned out than many residents had misgivings once the implications dawned on them. I trust we will not allow this to happen to us because with all the additional houses that are going to be built in the town, complete with their metal wheeled boxes owned by people who can only walk a few yards at a time, even more space will be required near the station and public school.

Policy Committee at the Borough Council at the end of June brought forward a couple of startling facts that may affect the town. CCTV cameras were scheduled to be completed by the end of August 1998, but due to obstacles caused by the Town Council (although no mention was made that the officers concerned at Borough were seconded to IT to sort out the telephone system) it will not be completed until possibly early 1999. The car park cameras are still due to be operating by September, but the street lighting columns are having to be strengthened to take the weight of the cameras. I just hope they remember we have Christmas decorations attached to the columns each year. The other devastating fact was SERplans' view that the regions small household needs cannot be practicably met for economic reasons and thus the full level should not be met. When you couple this with all the other objections, the latest as I write is C.P.R.E. whom I believe suggest it is wrong just to accept that you have to build on green belt in the south east without looking at alternative areas, I believe that common sense is beginning to prevail.

Finally, a plug for the experimental Council web site located at http://berkotc.connect-2.co.uk, which includes dates of all meetings (plus some extras you might find interesting), all the committee reports in draft form, agendas whenever possible and other bits of Council news. The council will make a decision in September as to whether it continues, so if you have any thoughts, now is the time to have a look and let's have your views.