Hitchin and Harpenden

Our Vision for Harpenden

Conservatives have worked hard over the last eight years to improve public infrastructure and deliver great council services at low cost in Harpenden.  

Vote Conservative on May 2nd:

• Prevent excessive and inappropriate development.
• Get the infrastructure you need.
• Have a greener, cleaner and more sustainable environment.
• Make Harpenden a great place to live, work and play.

• Controlled and managed development  through the Conservative led Neighbourhood Plan with the  involvement of local people. New infrastructure to meet our changing needs, including schools, GPs surgeries, dentists, a new cycling network, new bus services, a new Leisure and Cultural centre, local shopping centres in Batford and Southdown and a vibrant High Street with better parking facilities.

• A greener, cleaner and more sustainable environment.  New and improved children’s playgrounds in Batford, North Harpenden and Rothamsted Park.  Harpenden becomes a leader in reducing pollution and plastics use, with a network of electric car recharging points.

• High quality public services are delivered efficiently so that council tax is kept down.

• Harpenden’s interests are protected in decisions that impact people’s lives.

• Local people have the opportunity to identify new initiatives or projects that will benefit the Town.

At the District Council, Local Conservatives have:

• Kept your Council Tax down, only increasing it by 2.9% in 8 years. This compares with the preceding 8 years, when the Liberal Democrat administration increased taxes by 23.2% or with Watford’s Liberal Democrat Council where tax is 60% higher, with less service delivery.

• Improved service delivery, for example, improved recycling rates from 43% to 62%, putting us in the top 10% of Councils in the Country.

• Started building the new Leisure and Cultural Centre in Harpenden; planned the re-development of the Public Halls (working in partnership with local people) and are delivering 100 new parking spaces.

• Planning for electric car charging points to reduce emissions and clean up our air.

• Built over 100 new social homes, the first in a generation, with more affordable homes planned at Westfield and significant improvements made to all existing social housing in Harpenden.

• Continue to advocate on local issues: the Red House, airplane noise, the Incinerator and train timetables.

• Involved the community in key decisions, increasing resident satisfaction across the District by 50% in 8 years.

At the Town Council, Local Conservatives have:

• Kept taxes down with no increase last year. 

• Delivered the Neighbourhood Plan, to control development in the Town and ensure it meets the needs of local people.

• Commissioned a parking survey to analyse parking in the Town Centre and at key points in the Town, to assess what can be done to remove nuisance parking and improve parking availability.

• Offered a range of new leisure opportunities to residents, including the Luna Cinema.

• Improved Harpenden Common and Lyddekar Park, winning the prestigious Green Flag award.

• Invested in the nature reserve at Batford Springs, with an extension of the reserve, a new building for volunteers, new equipment, and improvements to the unique chalk springs. Built new playgrounds at Porters Park and Batford Springs.

• Delivered a range of carnivals, festivals and markets and invested in great Xmas lights in Town and at Southdown and Batford, running popular Switch On events in each area.

Meet the Team:

Details on all of our candidates can be found at https://www.hitchinandharpendenconservatives.co.uk/find-your-candidate