Luton Airport is undertaking two consultation exercises at present.

1) Deadline 11th Nov: Pre-consultation on proposals to expand to 19 million passengers, which also includes setting aside the noise contour limit 
– for the Airport’s information, see http://www.luton19mppa.info/ 
– for guidance from the LADACAN anti-noise group, see https://ladacan.org/consultation-on-19-million-passengers/ 

2) Deadline 5th Feb: Consultation on arrivals flight path changes, which will have an impact on communities north-east, north and north-west of the Airport
– for the Airport’s information, see https://consultations.airspacechange.co.uk/london-luton-airport/ad6_luton_arrivals/ 
– for guidance from the LADACAN anti-noise group, see https://ladacan.org/consultation-on-arrivals-flight-paths/ 

Luton airport has announced a consultation on its plans to expand from 8th February to 4th April.

The online consultation can be accessed at www.lutonrising.org.uk and details of the community events which have been scheduled across February and March are available here.

At the Parish Council Meeting on 15th February, Paul Miller from the National Trust will be talking to residents about the very special and diverse Ashridge Estate, the significant current and future challenges across the estate, and the strategic approach the NT are taking to mitigate these challenges. ‘Protecting our Roots’ is the NT project developing the necessary transformational change, collaboratively with a range of stakeholders. Paul will be pleased to listen to residents’ views.

There’s more information on the NT website.

If you’re interested to hear what Paul has to say he will be at the Church Room, Potten End from 7.30pm on Thursday 15th February.

The Parish Council meets at 7.30pm on Thursday, 20 February in the Church Room at Potten End. The agenda can be downloaded and contains links to all the supporting papers. Ashridge House The meeting will start with a presentation from Mr David Evans of Ashridge House who will provide an update on public events, long-term plans including improvements to the site, buildings and landscaping, and plans to make rooms available to the public at times whilst continuing to to be a business school, conference centre and wedding venue. Local Government re-organisation The Government has announced plans to re-organise local government and has asked Hertfordshire County Council and its districts, including Dacorum, to submit interim plans by 21 March 2025 with full proposals to follow by 28 November. The Government has made it very clear that it expects the plans to be for one or more new unitary councils in Hertfordshire, i.e. there will no longer be two levels of authorities within the county. At the moment there is no more information.  The elections for county councillors will take place as scheduled on 1 May 2025. There is no information on the future role for Parish and Town Councils. Consultations Dacorum are consulting on their “Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan“, comments need to be made by 23 March. Highways There are a number of road closures in and around the parish over the next three months for a variety of reasons.  Leighton Buzzard Rd will be closed overnight between 18 and 22 February for resurfacing.  Nettleden Rd will have traffic management from 24 – 26 February for Affinity Water Hempstead Lane will have traffic management from 24 February – 16 May as Cadent replace old gas pipes Red Lion Lane will be closed for Open Reach on 25 February Frithsden Lane will be closed from 10 – 12 March for surface dressing by Herts Highways Roman Road will be closed from 17 – 22 March for drainage investigations by Herts Highways Hempstead Lane will have traffic management  for work by Affinity Water. For more up to date information on roadworks please refer to Causeway one network. Good luck! Open Spaces The Council will be considering a proposal to light a beacon to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day on 8th May. The pond has been included in a study being undertaken by Heriot-Watt University into frogs and as a result you may see small temporary floating enclosures in the pond as part of an exercise to help understand environmental stressors affecting tadpoles and their habitats. Dacorum successfully prosecuted a fly-tipper for illegally dumping waste on Nettleden Road – if you see fly-tipping anywhere it really is worth reporting it (see the link at the bottom of this email), and not just to get it removed. Planning The Council will consider the following applications at its meeting (reference numbers relate to the Dacorum Planning Portal): Crossways, Little Heath Lane – variations to an approved planning application (24/02575/ROC) Frithsden Vineyard – formation of a new winery (23/01894/FUL) Frithsden Vineyard – variation to an existing approved application for a new dwelling (25/00323/ROC) 4A Vicarage Rd – alterations to roof, new porch and canopy, new windows (25/00218/FHA) Social Care and other support Report It If you see anything around the parish that doesn’t look right, like fly-tipping, dead animals, missed bin collections, problems with footpaths, anti-social behaviour, illegal parking, then the first port of call is to report it using Dacorum’s on-line reporting tool. Always keep a note of the reference number they issue in case we need to follow up on it. HertsHelp Hertfordshire County Council run a service called HertsHelp which can be contacted either by email at info@hertshelp.net or by phone on 0300 123 4044. It provides access to a wide range of services grouped as follows: struggling to cope, care and carers living healthier transport, bus passes and blue badge home services and equipment cost of living If you know anyone who might benefit from any of these services, please encourage them to get in touch. Hertfordshire Directory The Hertfordshire Directory is an online tool to make it easier for people to find the help they need it as soon as they need it, bringing together services, groups, and providers across the county that offer support and advice in a range of areas. There’s already a wide range of services and providers listed in the Directory, from day centres and dance groups to counselling and community activities, but they’d like many more. If you know of a service that could improve people’s lives and is not listed on the Hertfordshire Directory, then contact Anne Ardley, Directory Project Officer anne.ardley@hertfordshire.gov.uk Dates for your diary The next council meetings will be on 20 March (when Alice Missler from Hertfordshire CC will be giving a short talk about HertsLynx) and 17 April, both at 7.30pm at the Church Room.

Highways

After the very strong support for a raised platform at the Potten End crossroads Caroline Smith-Wright, our county councillor has asked whether the Parish Council will help fund the development.

Interestingly we’ve been asked to respond to a survey from Herts Highways who are revising the Speed Management Survey which sets the policy for things like speed limits. The focus of the survey is very much about reducing speed limits and whether they should be dependant as now on physical speed reduction measures. 

As I’m sure you’re aware, the gas main replacement programme has kicked off again with work along Hempstead Lane. The current plan is for the work at Church Road to be undertaken during February half term … but frankly who knows.

All roadworks over the next three months are summarised here or for more up to date information please refer to Causeway one network.

Planning

At its meeting on Thursday the Council will consider the following applications:

• Gutteridge Farm – variations on previously agreed plans ( 25/03116/ROC) 
• Brickwall Cottage, Frithsden Gardens – conversion and minor extensions to existing stable to create annexe dwelling and merging of existing annexe back into principal house (25/03120/FHA)
• 15 The Back, Potten End – work to trees (26/00054/TCA)

Open Spaces

I’m afraid that I can’t explain why the fencing around new safety surface underneath the swings and the remains of the old surface and other surplus material has not been removed since the work was completed in early December – it’s not been for want of chasing the supplier.

Planning permission has been received to undertake the works to trees identified by the tree survey earlier in the year on Frithsden Green and that section of The Green to the west of Hempstead Lane.

Finance

The Parish Council sets the precept it requires to fund its activities in 2026/27 at the January Council meeting. ‘Precept’ is that part of your Council Tax which is collected by Dacorum but paid to the Parish Council.

Dacorum is reducing the level of grant received by parish and town councils across the borough, and is planning to reduce it still further in the future. The Parish Council has decided that it wants to maintain the level of service and asset management (that is grass cutting, litter picking, tree maintenance etc) at current levels, and as a result it will discuss a proposal to increase precept by 10%.