It's getting difficult to write about the activities of the Town and Borough Councils without being overly political at the moment. It must be something to do with some event at the beginning of May as just about everyone and everything could be considered political. Everyone is blaming every one else for not getting things done, or doing things they shouldn't have done, or just plain dragging their feet. Just to give you a short break I will fill up some of my column with my awayday to Hatfield.

At the Fielder Centre (part of the University of Hertfordshire) in mid February, I was the Borough Councils representative at Councillor level at the Drugs Action Teams (DAT) conference. I felt a bit out of place really as the list of attendees read like a who's who in Social Services, the Probation Service and Youth workers. I think I was picked, as no one else wanted to go and with my new found power on the Borough Council foolishly agreed to go. The Chief Executive and Chief Environment Officer also attended, so you can gather the sort of people it was aimed at. The difficulty I had was if drugs are seen as a young persons problem, then where were they? We have a Youth Council and it is accepted that peer pressure is a major cause in the increased use of drugs, but once again, we seem to be talking at the young, rather than to them. Even the Swan Project has not got it right as in the local press, as I write this piece, is a report that someone was sent to jail for 3 years for possession and it was claimed that until they stayed at the project, they had not been involved with drugs.  
As you may have gathered, only about 10% of the 100 or so who attended were 'non-professionals' and it was interesting to see how other districts in the County addressed the problem. It is slowly being recognised as a factor in crime and disorder - sorry, Public Safety, which the Borough is having to address under recent government legislation.

This brings me back to politics again. Ah well, those of you who are policitly aware will have realised that national government is moving things back to the lower levels of government such as Council and District. Don't worry, the town and parish time will come. This is not a new idea, M Ps discovered some time ago that if you arrange for lower levels of government to do what you want them to, the cost is transferred down the line and Income Tax etc. can be kept down. Then County attempt to pass the buck to the district councils by the simple exercise of allowing districts to carry out work under devolved powers. Districts frequently find that necessary works cost more than County allows so fund part of the work themselves. Districts have to add these additional costs to the Council Tax. A classic example was the decision last year for County not to fund roadside salt bins. Borough was asked to take it on, but decided to call the bluff. The towns and parishes were then offered the 'opportunity' to take over this function. Your Town Council did (reluctantly), and so guess who picks up the tab. The cost has moved down from County to Town. The 'Road Fund TAX' is collected and pocketed by national government and not a lot turns up in the Town Council coffers (none, as a matter of fact).

This years increase (band D) in your local taxes are:
Herts County Council up from £529.42 to £581.40 an increase of £51.98 (only +9.82%)
Police up from £58.83 to £63.54 an increase of £4.71 (only +8.01%)
Borough Council up from £88.35 to £91.29 an increase of £2.94 (a snip at +3.3%)
Town Council up from £10.24 to £16.16 an increase of £5.92 (wow, only +57.8%)

At the Council meeting at Borough when the budget was discussed, Cllr. Brookes made the point that the highest increase in percentage terms was Berkhamsted and at the Town Council he had to caste the deciding vote due to Cllr. Ian Reay (the Chairman of Finance & Policy) abstaining from voting on his own budget. The fact that Cllr Brookes is a member of the Lib-Dem group and Cllr. Reay was a member of the Conservative group had nothing to do with it. The Conservative newsletter 'In Touch' hit back and blamed the Independent Councillors and Lib-Dems for everything. I could say that whilst I was Chairman of Finance & Policy, the Berkhamsted share of the Council Tax actually went down, but I won't, because it was a Council decision against my better judgement as I knew the money was necessary. That must also have been the result of Independent and Lib-Dem collusion as Cllr. Brookes was my vice-Chairman. Ho-Hum, isn't politics wonderful?

National government is having another go at improving representation, only this time at County level. The aim is to have County wards of 10,000 electors. Berkhamsted currently has over 12,000, but Borough has recommended this slight excess is preferable to hiving 2,000 of you into Bridgewater or Hemel Hempstead. By the time the decision is made, the whole thing will be out of date as if all the houses are built at Berkhamsted Hill, Stag Lane and the two 'coopers' sites, we will be able to nick Northchurch back and demand two County Councillors.

And finally, don't forget the Town Centre Forum in the Sessions Hall within the Town Hall on Wednesday 31st March at 7:30pm which provides an opportunity to make your views known on the Town Centre. This will be closely followed on Wednesday 14th April in the main hall of the Civic Centre (also at 7:30pm) when your Council has its Annual meeting for Berkhamsted electors. Why not attend and make life really difficult just three weeks before the election?