The Baldock and Villages Community Forum met to discuss local government reorganisation, community grant applications, and updates on local projects. Presentations were scheduled from Affinity Water, Anglian Water and Urban & Civic regarding infrastructure and development in the Baldock area. The forum was also expected to discuss topics for future meetings.

Local Government Reorganisation

The forum was scheduled to receive a presentation and hold a Q&A session on local government reorganisation (LGR) in Hertfordshire. A report on the local government review noted that the government requires all local authorities in areas with two tiers of local government to develop proposals for reorganisation to establish a single tier.

According to the report, the objectives for LGR are:

• Simplified, more efficient and more resilient council structures
• More consistent service access
• Greater transparency in decision-making
• A stronger local voice in how councils operate

The report stated that a single unitary council for the whole of Hertfordshire had been ruled out because it would be too large. Instead, the councils are exploring options that are more locally focused and responsive, including multiple unitary authorities. The forum was informed that Hertfordshire's 11 councils have developed three potential options for how local government could be structured in the future, and that a survey was available online for residents to provide feedback on the proposals. The deadline for submissions was scheduled for 28 November 2025.

Community Grant Applications

The forum was to consider community grant applications for recommendation to the Executive Member for Governance. The Community Grant budget for the Baldock & Villages Community Forum for 2025/26 was £8,962. After payments totalling £1,475, the remaining budget available was £7,487.

The forum was scheduled to consider the following applications:

• Avenue Park Sports and Social Club, which requested £1,020 to resolve a plumbing issue in the gents' toilets. The club stated that the defective plumbing was causing waste and water to not drain properly, resulting in waste ending up on the floor or causing blockages, which could represent a health hazard.
• Weston Luncheon Club, which requested £500 towards the overall hire cost of the village hall to host the luncheon club. The club stated that the grant would be used towards the £640 annual hall hire cost. They also noted that they had received a £300 grant from Weston Parish Council, and request a £4 donation per person to help with the costs of ingredients. Councillor Steve Jarvis may have wished to provide additional details on this application, as it is in his ward.

Presentations

The agenda included a number of presentations:

• John Marshall, North Herts Council Community Safety Team Leader, was scheduled to give a presentation about the CCTV in Baldock.
• Ilias Karapanos, Head of Water Resources Management from Affinity Water, was scheduled to discuss the fresh water infrastructure in Baldock and how it would be increased to support the Growing Baldock development of 3200 houses.
• Robert Morris (Growth Liaison Manager – Wholesale Services), Hannah Wilson (Pre-Development Planning Manager) and Grant Tuffs (Regional Engagement Manager – corporate Affairs) from Anglian Water were scheduled to discuss the waste water infrastructure in Baldock and how it would be increased to support the Growing Baldock development of 3200 houses.
• Paul Mumford, Project Director from Urban & Civic, was scheduled to present the most recent updates to the Growing Baldock Project¹.

Community Updates

Tracy Westgate, Community Partnerships Officer, provided a community update, including:

• An idea to set up a community networking event similar to the Community Breakfast in Royston was still being investigated.
• Baldock Community Centre both groups have agreed to the MoU and progress toward the long term goal is being made.
• Since the last Forum she had continued to attended as many Parish Council meetings as she can and was becoming a familiar face in the Village Communities.
• She and her colleague Laura would be presenting at and holding a stall at the North Herts & Stevenage Centre for Voluntary Service's Funding Summit on 18th September.
• A reminder to Councillors that they were very welcome to arrange any meetings or ward walks with the Community Partnerships Officer.