The Hitchin Community Forum met to discuss the Bus Service Improvement Plan, the Hitchin Business Improvement District, community grant applications, and local government reorganisation. The forum was also scheduled to discuss community updates, ward matters, and topics for future meetings.

Community Grant Applications

The Hitchin Community Forum was scheduled to consider two community grant applications and make recommendations to the Executive Member for Governance. The total amount of funding requested for this meeting was £2,748. The remaining budget available for community grants for the Hitchin area for 2025/26 stood at £19,301.

The forum was scheduled to consider the following applications:

• Hitchin Belles Football Club: £1,803 towards training and workshops for Wellbeing Volunteers and Coaches.
• Green Care at Norton CIC: £945 towards growing materials and equipment to increase capacity to grow fruit and vegetables for Hitchin Pantry.

Hitchin Belles Football Club

Hitchin Belles Football Club (HBFC) is the largest grassroots girls football club in the country, with nearly 300 of their players from Hitchin. In 2024, HBFC launched a wellbeing team to support players and coaches on and off the field, offering weekly guidance on menstrual health, nutrition, mental wellbeing, and injury prevention. They were seeking funding to train wellbeing volunteers and coaches.

The proposed courses were:

• The Female Body - Guided Coaching Programme from The Well HQ: £569 per person for 2 wellbeing volunteers, who would then cascade training to others.
• ADD-vance Understanding ADHD/Autistic Children and Young People: Two 2-hour online workshops at £375 each plus £25 bespoke supplement per workshop. This course would be open to all their volunteers (approximately 150).
• GRIT - Growing Resilience in Teens: Coaches workshops: £365 for a series of four 90-minute workshops. This course would be open to all their volunteers (approximately 150).

HBFC had raised £500 through sponsorship from Raymond James and Hitchin Digital.

Green Care at Norton CIC

Green Care at Norton (GCAN) supports adults facing loneliness, unemployment, or social exclusion. Participants grow food and flowers alongside volunteers. Since winning the North Herts Community Heroes Green Award 2025, GCAN had formed a partnership with Hitchin Pantry to supply them with organically grown fruit and vegetables. GCAN were seeking funding to expand their fruit and vegetable production at Standalone Farm, focusing on growing produce needed by Hitchin Pantry, such as aubergines, garlic, squash, and okra. They aimed to achieve this by creating larger 'no dig' beds and improving soil quality.

Funding would cover essential growing materials and equipment:

• 2 tons of Cambridgeshire Fen soil and 2 tons of compost: £414.15
• Professional Propagation trays x20: £151.20
• Professional hotbin compost bin range 1600 litre: £114
• 1 pallet seed compost: £225
• 1 pallet potting on compost: £140

GCAN were contributing £100 from their reserves.

The application outlined in Appendix 3 Green Care at Norton CIC had been determined to be a Subsidy under the Subsidy Control Act.¹ The applicants had confirmed that the value of grants that they have and will receive means that the proposed payment can be treated as Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) under the Act.

Local Government Reorganisation

The forum was scheduled to receive a presentation and Q&A on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Hertfordshire. The government requires all local authorities in areas where there are currently two tiers of local government to develop proposals for reorganisation to establish a single tier of local government.

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

A single unitary council for the whole of Hertfordshire has been ruled out because with a population of 1.2 million, it would be larger than any local authority in the UK and decision-making would become too far removed from communities. Instead, councils are working together to explore options that are more locally focused and responsive, including multiple unitary authorities that better reflect the identity of different parts of the county.

Hertfordshire's 11 councils have developed three potential options for how local government could be structured in the future. A survey was available online for residents to have their say on the proposals. Feedback from this phase of engagement will be collated and used to shape a final submission for LGR in Hertfordshire.

Town Talk

Jeff Clayton, Strategy & Programme Manager for Highways Implementation, Hertfordshire County Council, was scheduled to provide an update on the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) for the Queen Street hub scheme, followed by a Q&A session. There was also an open Q&A session scheduled for the Hitchin Community Forum Councillors.

Hitchin BID Update

The Hitchin Community Forum was scheduled to receive a verbal update from the Hitchin BID on their work in Hitchin town centre.

Community Updates

The forum was scheduled to receive an update to ensure members were kept informed of the work of the Community and Partnerships Team.

Districtwide updates included:

• Team members were presenting and holding a stall at the North Herts & Stevenage Centre for Voluntary Service's Funding Summit on 18th September.
• Co-ordinating various local and district wide Network Groups including Youth Action, Food Provision, Arts and Culture and Green and Growing Group.
• Coordinating voluntary support response to Asylum Seekers based in North Herts.
• Continuing to facilitate NHC Councillors' Community Surgeries.
• Sharing and disseminating information on social media and to mailing lists.

Area Community Updates included:

• Exploring the creation of a Hitchin-focused community network aimed at bringing together local groups such as charities, clubs, community centres, faith groups to foster connection, collaboration, and partnership.
• Continuing to build relationships with local community centres which includes a recent meeting with Westmill Community Centre.
• A reminder to Councillors that they are very welcome to arrange any meetings or ward walks with the Community Partnerships Officer.

Ward Matters and Outside Organisations

The forum was scheduled to receive verbal reports from members and members of the public regarding Ward matters and Outside Organisations.

Updates from North Herts Council's Enterprise and Estate Teams included:

• Churchgate Regeneration Project: The team were continuing to work on the next phase of the programme, which will focus on developing the shopping centre, market, Biggin Lane and both Portmill car parks.
• Churchgate Shopping Centre Management: The new managing agents, Praxis Property Management, were actively onboard with the day-to-day management of the centre.
• Riverside Walk: An outline proposal has been prepared by consultant engineers to deliver the walkway between Bridge Street and Biggin Lane to increase footfall in this part of the town centre.
• Charnwood House: The council remain committed to delivering its ambition to revitalise Charnwood House for the benefit of Hitchin and the wider district.