The Hertsmere Borough Council meeting on 17 September 2025 was scheduled to cover a range of topics, including updates to the Community Infrastructure Levy spending process, constitutional changes, and the Elstree Film Studios underground car park. Councillors were also expected to discuss and respond to questions from both the public and council members, as well as consider several notices of motion.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Spending Process

The council was asked to consider an updated approach to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) spending process, along with detailed documents for applicants. The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge on certain types of development, and the money collected is used to fund infrastructure improvements.

The report, titled Updated Community Infrastructure Levy Spending Process and Guidance for Applicants, set out the updated process and summarised the updated documents. The documentation and process had been discussed with the Community Infrastructure Levy Investment Panel (CILIP) and the Policy Review Committee.

The report recommended that the council:

• Adopt the updated approach to CIL spending and the attached documents.
• Amend the council's website to set out the updated approach and provide further information to assist bidders.
• Agree that non-material changes to the documents, the website, and the spend framework could be made by officers in conjunction with Councillor Nik Oakley, Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Transport.

The report also detailed that the previous CIL spend process concentrated on specific, time-limited 'windows' for CIL bids. The updated approach aimed for openness, clarity, and transparency, with CIL bids being considered at one of four CILIP meetings throughout the year. The new process would be open for bids for both Strategic CIL and Neighbourhood CIL (in Potters Bar and Bushey).

The report also referenced several appendices:

• AppA-CIL Process and Guidance for Applicants: This document was intended to provide applicants with information about what constitutes infrastructure and what details should be included in a CIL bid.
• AppB-Strategic CIL Bid Form and AppC-Strategic CIL Officer Scoring Criteria: These documents provided an updated application form for Strategic CIL funding and the officer assessment criteria.
• AppD-Neighbourhood CIL Bid Form and AppE-Neighbourhood CIL Officer Scoring Criteria: These documents offered an updated application form for Neighbourhood CIL funding and the officer assessment criteria.

Constitutional Changes

The council was scheduled to review proposed amendments to its constitution, as detailed in the Consolidated Constitutional Changes - September 2025 report. These changes included formally including electronic voting, revising petition rules to cover any licensed activity, and allowing resolutions to be taken in parts .

The report also proposed changes to the process for altering motions. The report stated that the current provisions only allow for the alternations of motions at the meeting, and as such it was proposed that 15.7 Alteration of motion be amended to read:

After the submission of a valid Motion on Notice or Opposition Business Motion but prior to the publication of the relevant Agenda, the Proposer and Seconder in agreement shall be allowed to make such alterations which could be made as an amendment.

Elstree Film Studios Underground Car Park

Councillors were asked to consider a report regarding capital investment in the underground car park at Elstree Film Studios. The Elstree Film Studios Underground Carpark Capital investment report set out an opportunity for cost savings on health and safety remedial works, and to enhance income at the site.

The report recommended that the council:

• Note its responsibilities as landlord for the repair and maintenance of the underground car park.
• Agree to add £1,400,000 to the Capital Programme for re-activation works, funded as detailed in the report.
• Delegate authority to Elstree Film Studios to progress the design of the required works and, following a competitive tendering exercise, enter into a suitable works contract.

The report noted that following asbestos remediation, the car park had been mothballed for several years, and the studios had been using the back lot or paying for parking in nearby car parks. Reinstating the underground car park was intended to improve safety and enhance the site's overall financial return.

Questions From Members of the Public and of the Council

The agenda included time to address questions from members of the public and from councillors. The 20250917C- Public Questions document contained six questions from members of the public, covering topics such as the reclassification of green belt land, community enforcement officers, the sale of Newberries Car Park, planning committee briefings, the ethical use of artificial intelligence, and devolution of Hertsmere.

The 20250917C- Member Questions document contained 21 questions from councillors, addressing issues such as planning policy, social housing, bin collections, damp and mould in Clarion homes, the Christmas light switch-on in Potters Bar, fly-tipping, Union Jack flags, Herts Pride, hotels used for asylum seekers, funding from parish councils, ethical investment, parking on Shenley Road, banking services, and the Oakmere Youth and Community Centre.

Notices of Motion

Three notices of motion were scheduled for discussion:

1. A motion from the Labour & Co-operative Group regarding understanding procedure rules and in-depth training for chairing meetings. The 20250917C-Motion 1 - Understanding procedure rules in-depth training for chairing meetings document stated that the council believed that procedural rules and chair training for planning committee meetings required more clarity.
2. A cross-party motion from the Hertsmere First Group and Conservative Group on strengthening parking enforcement across Hertsmere, with urgent action in Bushey. The 20250917C-Motion 2 - Strengthening Parking Enforcement document noted residents' frustration with inadequate parking enforcement, particularly on Elstree Road and London Road.
3. A motion from the Conservative Group titled What's the Point of a Planning Committee? Labour's Grey Belt Policy Silences Hertsmere Residents . The 20250917C-Motion 3 - Whats the point in a planning committee document expressed concern that the planning committee had been left effectively powerless by Labour's new national planning rules and the council's failure to deliver a Local Plan.

Opposition Business

The Conservative Group had submitted a proposal for discussion regarding fly-tipping. The 20250917C-Opposition Business - Fly tipping document noted that fly-tipping incidents in Hertsmere had risen, and proposed raising the fine for fly-tipping to £1,000, establishing a 'Fly-tipping Wall of Shame', and bringing a regular fly-tipping information report to the cabinet.

Other Business

• The council was scheduled to discuss a minor amendment to the Members' Scheme of Allowances 2025/26, based on recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel. The Members Scheme of Allowances 2025-26 minor amendment document included the App1-Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel September 2025 and the App2-Part 6 Members Scheme of Allowances Scheme 2025-2026 amended
• Councillors were asked to confirm the political proportionality for council committees and approve committee membership, as detailed in the Constitution and Appointment of Members to the Councils Committees report. The App1-Constitution Part 3.4 Committees document contained nominations from group leaders for the 2025/26 committees and other bodies.
• The Appointments to Outside bodies September report set out minor changes to council appointments to outside bodies and council-owned subsidiaries.
• Councillor Jeremy Newmark, Leader of the Council, was scheduled to give an oral report, with the Leaders Update September 2025 document providing an overview of topics including local government reorganisation, Pride events, the new Director of Place Transformation, tackling disinformation, and park improvements.
• The Chair of the Policy Review Committee and Operations Review Committee were scheduled to provide an oral report on the items listed in the 20250917C- Report of Chairs of Scrutiny Committees document.
• Oral updates were scheduled from members serving as representatives on outside bodies, including the Wayside Jubilee Centre, Trustees for the Gravel Allotments, and the Elstree Aerodrome Consultative Committee.