A project to create 14 new social housing properties in St Albans is going ahead despite the collapse of the original building contractor.
Neilcott Construction has been appointed as the new contractor and is due to begin work later this month.
The £6.6 million Council development is on the site of the former King Offa pub in the Cottonmill area.
It will include a two-bedroom, wheelchair-adapted bungalow, two four-bedroom detached homes and 11 three-bedroom homes.
All the properties, which are expected to be completed by June next year, will be made available at social rent to families on our housing register.
Photo: how the development will look.
 Elections for St Albans City and District Council will take place on Thursday 2 May along with an election for the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Twenty-one District Council seats - out of a total of 56 - will be contested. There are District Council vacancies in each ward except Colney Heath and Redbourn.
Here are some key dates to note in your diary:
Tuesday 16 April, midnight: you must be registered to vote by this date. If you’re not already registered to vote at your current address, you can do so here.
Wednesday 17 April, 5pm: deadline for applying for a new postal vote and amending or cancelling an existing postal or proxy vote. Most types of postal votes can be applied for here and proxy votes, here.
Wednesday 24 April, 5pm: deadline for applying for a proxy vote. This is also the deadline for applying for a Voter Authority Certificate if you do not have an approved form of photo ID to show at a polling station with details about this available here.
 We are supporting the Electoral Commission’s Your Vote is Yours Alone campaign to raise awareness of electoral fraud and to help prevent it.
Your vote doesn’t belong to anyone who intimidates you, pretends to be you, tries to bribe you or enters the polling booth with you. It’s yours and yours alone.
If someone tries to take your vote or the vote of anyone you know, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or here.
 Say hello to Carmen Richards – one of the first hot food traders to operate at our Charter Market.
Her Caribbean Kitchen - which sells takeaway jerk chicken, mutton curry and other dishes - has been present at the twice-weekly Market for 16 years and is still going strong.
Carmen, who has lived in St Albans all her life, said: “I love working at the Market as it gets me out and about. I enjoy having a chat with people and having a look round all the stalls as well as the shops.
“When I started out all these years ago, no one else was selling hot food. Now there is plenty of competition, but the business has grown and often I’m sold out by the end of the day.”
Council Leader Chris White is to hold conversations with traders about holding small-scale markets on non-Charter Market days. More information about that is available here.
 Our Councillors have called on the Government to increase the funding it provides for placing homeless people in temporary hotel accommodation.
In common with other local authorities, the Council has seen a rise in applications for help from people at risk of homelessness.
The net cost to the Council of housing homeless people in temporary accommodation this financial year is projected to be £272,740.
That's almost three times the 2022/23 figure of £96,113 with next year’s net cost expected to increase even further. More information is available here.
 We have launched our new sustainability and climate crisis strategy which will help us protect the environment and eliminate fossil fuels across our operations and services.
Included are proposals to encourage active travel such as cycling and walking, allow biodiversity to flourish and improve the energy efficiency of buildings across the District.
The Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and a biodiversity emergency last year. Our goal is to eliminate our own greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and help the District to do so as well.
You can view the strategy here and see the almost 100 actions we are taking to improve the environment and cut harmful emissions.
 Hertfordshire’s leaders have launched an ambitious vision for sustainable growth that will benefit residents, businesses and communities for future generations.
Six core missions have been identified and include the creation of a world class economy; improving digital access; delivery of an integrated transport system; and building the right homes in the right places.
You can read the full Herts Visions and Missions Report here.
 We are supporting Hertfordshire Film Office - a one-stop service for anyone looking to film in the county.
The Film Office can help identify ideal locations, recruit local talent and obtain any necessary permissions.
It has now launched its own website for the benefit of film and TV production companies, student film makers and anyone looking to make a career in the industry.
The website includes resources such as a database of potential locations and information about apprenticeships and retraining.
 Volunteers Sharon Linney and Lynn Dutton were among the winners at the St Albans Mayor’s Pride Awards 2024.
Sharon (picture above, far left) and Lynn (far right) were hailed as Community Champions of the Year for their campaigning and many charitable endeavours, largely for St Albans Action for Homeless.
They were presented with the award by the Mayor, Cllr Anthony Rowlands, at a special ceremony at the Civic Centre.
Altogether, there were ten award which gave recognition to individuals, community groups and other organisations who help others.
The awards were sponsored by KJ Smith Solicitors.
Highfield Park Trust is one of the many good causes that is raising funds from the St Albans District Community Lottery.
The trust is a charity which ensures the maintenance and development of Highfield Park, a diverse green space with an abundance of natural features and leisure facilities.
It has a significant community role, hosting forest schools, sports activities, educational visits and events throughout the year.
All these activities and amenities are overseen by the Trust. If you are 18 or over, you can support the Trust - and other local good causes - by playing the online lottery.
There is a weekly draw with a £25,000 jackpot and at least 60p from each £1 ticket goes to good causes. Tickets are available here.
A Home Upgrade Grant could help you make your house more energy efficient and reduce your bills.
The scheme is intended to help people who struggle to pay for their heating to keep their homes warm.
The improvements are made free of charge and you could be eligible if your household income is £36,000 or less, you are not heated by mains gas and have an Energy Performance Certificate between D and G.
For more information or to make an application, please visit this website or contact the Homes Upgrade Grant line on 0808 1968255.
Women Doing Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Verulamium Museum, until Thursday 4 July, free after general admission charge.
This exhibition will take you on a fascinating journey through the captivating stories of four remarkable women from Roman and Iron Age Verulamium, including the legendary Boudica.
It will also explore the intriguing world of female archaeologists who played a crucial role in uncovering the secrets of Roman Verulamium during the 1930s. You will get to meet inspiring figures like Tessa Wheeler and Kathleen Kenyon whose groundbreaking work paved the way for future generations of archaeologists.
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Discover Archaeology, Verulamium Museum, Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 April, 10am to 1pm, free after general admission charge.
A fun event for all the family during the school holidays that will let you experience the work of an archaeologist.
Learn how objects buried in the ground have been excavated in St Albans and how the finds are recorded.
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St Albans Healthy Hub is your free one-stop-shop for health and wellbeing information, advice and support.
You can get advice on many issues including how to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, become more active and manage money.
The organisations involved include Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Mind in Mid Herts and many more. You can find more information here.
 Did you know, dual testing kits for both Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are free and available for Hertfordshire residents aged 15 years and above?
Testing is easy and quick, and results are shared to you via text message. You can collect a dual test kit from a participating pharmacy or other local services.
You can find more information here.
You can discover how to sign up for sessions that suit you – solo, with a friend or two, or part of a wider group.
All you need to do is enter your location and you will be presented with an amazing choice of fitness opportunities near you.
These include park runs, fresh air walks, aqua aerobics, dance classes and much more.
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Pharmacy First is a new service being offered to people with certain minor illnesses and conditions.
Many pharmacies across Hertfordshire are now seeing patients for common conditions such as infected insect bites, sore throats and sinusitis.
The new service means trained pharmacists can assess and treat patients without the need for them to see their GP:
You can walk into your pharmacy and make an enquiry or you can be referred by GPs or NHS 111. See here for more details.
The St Albans Arts Team works throughout the District with marginalised groups and those with poor mental health.
As part of the GreenArt Effect initiative, they have been working with families at St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge.
Using broken tiles and ceramics, they have produced stunning mosaics with artist Audrey Montet.
All ages have been involved and participants have greatly enjoyed the social and other benefits of creativity.
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