Welcome to East Herts Council&#39;s new engagement platform, a space to have a say in shaping the future of our district. As a listening council, we believe in being open, transparent, and community-led, ensuring everyone has a voice in the decisions that matter.&nbsp;

Your Voice

The council is the issuing authority for hackney carriage driver and vehicle licences, and private hire driver, vehicle and operator licences. The purpose of the legislation around these licences is to ensure public safety.The council has had comprehensive policies in relation to hackney carriage and private hire licensing for a number of years and these are all contained within the <a href="https://cdn-eastherts.onwebcurl.com/s3fs-public/2025-01/Taxi%20Handbook%20(Jan%202025)%20-%20East%20Herts%20(accessible).pdf">Taxi and Private Hire Handbook</a> which was last updated in January 2025. The handbook is a complete reference guide for those in the trade, those wishing to join the trade, all other stakeholders and interested parties.The council keeps all its policies under regular review so that they remain relevant and best achieve the purposes they were designed for. As part of any policy change the council will consult widely so as well as asking licence holders for their opinions, we would like to hear the views of any party with an interest in hackney carriage or private hire licensing. This can be anyone from an individual member of the public through to Hertfordshire County Council as a provider of school transport.The proposed policy areas to be amended are bullet pointed below (more detail on the proposed changes and the reasoning are included in the consultation document):<ul><li>Licensing Record Points Scheme (LRPS)</li><li>Vehicle Age and Emissions Policy</li><li>Vehicle and trailer specifications and conditions</li><li>Driver licence conditions</li><li>The code of good conduct and the dress code</li><li>Hackney carriage vehicle limit</li><li>Suitability Policy </li><li>Private hire operator conditions</li><li>Signs and advertising</li></ul>Please see the documents on the right hand side of the page describing the proposed changes in detail and giving reasons for those changes. The drafts of the amended Policies are also visible on the right-hand side of this page and you can view the current versions by looking in the handbook detailed above.We would like to hear from licence holders, residents, businesses, statutory bodies and anyone else that is a stakeholder or interested party in relation to hackney carriage and private hire licensing in East Herts.The consultation ends on Friday 14 August 2026

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy Review consultation

Watch live meetings, track key decisions, and see how your local representatives are shaping the future of our district.

Democracy in Action

Keep up to date with the latest news, updates, and important announcements from East Herts Council.

Latest News & Announcements

Learn more about our corporate strategy for 2024-2027

LEAF Corporate Plan

Find resources and support to upskill you or your business 

Open Possibilities 

Executive Member for Corporate Services

Executive Member for Planning and Growth

Help turn our objective into your reality by supporting a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable East Herts.

Get involved today – because East Herts is better when we shape it together!

Project Finder

We&rsquo;re keen to hear from people who have experienced or who are experiencing ASB. The purpose is to identify any areas the East Herts Community Safety Partnership can improve, ensuring victims&#39; feel supported and heard.We would like to hear about your experience of reporting ASB:

ASB Awareness Week 2026

Get involvedDo you run an arts workshop or cultural experience and would love to encourage more people to get involved? Have you considered taking part in this year&rsquo;s Arts in East Herts showcase event?Running across the district and throughout September and October 2026, Arts in East Herts provides an opportunity for residents to access arts and cultural activities that may have previously been inaccessible to them.As such, East Herts Council has launched a grant scheme offering to support the running costs of one-off events or a series of taster sessions, performances or creative workshops during the September to October Arts in East Herts showcase period. The grant scheme has a funding pot of &pound;20,000, with the Council issuing grants up to the value of &pound;800.To take part in Arts in East Herts, your event must:<ul><li data-list-item-id="ebd664646eb9b241fe6c602048438fa38">Be happening between September and October</li><li data-list-item-id="e3da22e60e0453acba855a932443fb37a">Be run in the district</li></ul>Applications are now closedIf you have any questions then please <a href="mailto:communications@eastherts.gov.uk">email us</a> with the subject &#39;Arts in East Herts&#39;<style> .small-button { padding: 5px 10px; font-size: 14px; border: none; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #0078D4; color: white; cursor: pointer; } .small-button:hover { background-color: #005ea2; } </style>Project background This exciting initiative was launched in 2024 to boost participation in arts and cultural activities. It is hoped that Arts in East Herts will become an annual event.Throughout September and October, individual artists and crafts people as well as arts organisations will showcase the rich artistic and cultural tapestry of East Herts through exhibitions, performances and workshops, delivered under the Arts in East Herts umbrella.Last year saw over 40 arts organisations - from the visual and performing arts and artisan crafts through to galleries, museums and heritage sites, delivering over 300 workshops and events - Arts in East Herts truly provides something for everyone excited about arts and culture.The priorities for the projects to be delivered area:<ul><li>Provide interactive activities where people can get actively involved</li><li>Actively encourage new people to get involved in arts and cultural activities</li><li>Provide activities on more than one occasion during the Showcase Event</li><li>Offer at least some activities at no cost to participants</li><li>Enable young people to be directly involved</li><li>Provide a route for people to remain involved in your activity or project after the Showcase Event</li></ul>

Arts in East Herts 2026

The council is consulting on its draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy from 18 May to 21 June 2026. We would like your views on our plans to prevent and reduce homelessness in East Herts.The strategy sets out how we will deliver housing and homelessness services between 2026 and 2031.The strategy focuses on five key themes:<ol data-end="1154" data-start="709"><li data-end="767" data-section-id="gtvyw8" data-start="709">Prevent and relieve homelessness as early as possible</li><li data-end="867" data-section-id="1hwvneh" data-start="768">Increase temporary accommodation options and reduce the use of bed and breakfast accommodation</li><li data-end="972" data-section-id="1u9bkzp" data-start="868">Improve routes into and out of supported housing, and increase support for vulnerable single people</li><li data-end="1025" data-section-id="1smw1qh" data-start="973">Increase the availability of affordable housing</li><li data-end="1154" data-section-id="z1awgb" data-start="1026">Continue supporting people to prevent rough sleeping and, where it happens, make sure it is brief and does not happen again</li></ol>We would like to hear from residents, businesses, developers, and organisations involved in housing and homelessness services who may be affected by the strategy.Please read the draft strategy <a href="https://yourvoice.eastherts.gov.uk/49666/widgets/150385/documents/105557">here</a> before completing the consultation.

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation

<div class="SCXW239262908 BCX0"><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW239262908 BCX0">Following the results of the online and street surveys, we have now confirmed our intention to transfer ownership of Water Lane Hall to the community, subject to three conditions being met.We have written to the Friends of Water Lane Hall whose ambition is to reopen the building as a community arts and cultural venue.<h1>Survey results</h1>The results of our online survey had 82% of over 600 respondents ranking community ownership as their preferred option.<a href="https://yourvoice.eastherts.gov.uk/47782/widgets/144956/documents/103063">View the full online results</a>An additional 200 people were surveyed on the street, with 78% saying they were in favour or strongly in favour of transferring ownership of the building to the Friends of Water Lane Hall. Creating space for retail and selling the building commercially received similar scores in terms of top and second place rankings, while demolishing the building was viewed least favourably of the four options.<h1>Next steps</h1>To progress the transfer, the Friends of Water Lane Hall must meet the following conditions by 21 June:<ul><li>Raise &pound;500,000 to complete essential works required to reopen the hall for basic hire, including the council&rsquo;s &pound;170,000 contribution.</li><li>Establish a Community Interest Company with appropriate governance and expertise to operate the venue in a safe and legal way.</li><li>Submit an agreed business plan, validated by a credible third‑party organisation.</li></ul>Meeting these conditions will demonstrate that funding is secured and that the building can be managed sustainably, which is a legal requirement when local authorities dispose of an asset for less than market value. If we are satisfied that these requirements have been met, the transfer of ownership will begin. The group will then have a further 18 months to raise the additional &pound;1.1 million required to deliver the full programme of works identified in the <a href="https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/latest-news/2025/structural-survey-findings-water-lane-hall" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">structural survey report.</a>Councillor Mione Goldspink, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods at East Herts, said: &ldquo;We have been speaking to the Friends of Water Lane Hall for many months, so they will already be aware of the fundraising and legal steps needed for the transfer. Now that we know that the Friends have widespread community backing, we have sent them a formal letter which gives them the green light to proceed and to work to meet the conditions.&rdquo;&ldquo;We already have a strong example of a community asset transfer underway in the district with Ward Freeman Pool in Buntingford, so we know this approach can be achievable with hard work and the right foundations. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important the conditions are met, and we hope that by early summer we will be in a position to move forward and transfer ownership.&quot;</div></div>

Tell us what you think about the future of Water Lane Hall 

We hope you have enjoyed using one of our thermal imaging cameras. What do you think of this new service?We welcome any comments or feedback.

Thermal Imaging Cameras

<a href="https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/sports-leisure-parks/parks-open-spaces-east-herts/local-parks-open-spaces-bishops-stortford/burley">Burley Road Play Area</a> This survey is to help us identify what people are doing in the play area and what they like and dislike about it. We will use this information to review the play area to ensure it&#39;s an asset to the community.

Burley Road Play Area

This informal consultation is now closed.East Herts Council is seeking views on the proposed introduction of resident permit parking in Gladstone Road, Ware. This follows a previous consultation in which the overall household response rate fell short of the required 51% majority threshold. Some properties have now been excluded from the consultation, as they benefit from off-street parking that is not shared with other residents.

Gladstone Road, Ware – Resident Permit Parking Scheme: Informal Consultation

<h2>Following a public consultation on proposed changes to car park operating hours, tariffs and maximum stay periods across the council&rsquo;s car parks, East Herts Executive met on Tuesday 13 January to decide which changes to introduce.</h2>In response to concerns raised during the consultation, the Executive agreed to put measures in place to reduce the impact of the proposals for the three rural car parks (Buntingford, Sawbridgeworth and Stanstead Abbotts), as well as the proposal to limit free parking for Blue Badge holders to three hours.For the remaining proposals, the Executive considered the comments received and decided to proceed with the changes as originally proposed. A full breakdown of the objections and the council&rsquo;s responses is set out in the report available in the documents section of this page.The changes to be introduced are:Rural Car ParksBuntingford<ul><li>The extension of operational hours at Bowling Green Lane to 7:30am - 6:30pm and the introduction of weekend charging, subject to the following mitigations:</li><li>Introduction of a new rural car park tariff structure Monday to Friday. The charges will be the same as Sawbridgeworth and Stanstead Abbotts car parks, with no inflationary increase applied to the 2025 tariffs for 2026.</li><li>Introduction of Saturday charging at the same tariff levels as Monday to Friday, to ensure consistency across rural car parks.</li><li>Introduction of a flat &pound;1.50 all-day charge on Sundays.</li></ul>Sawbridgeworth<ul><li>The introduction of weekend charging at Bell Street, aligned with existing weekday tariff levels, subject to the following mitigations:</li><li>Retention of existing Monday to Friday tariffs with no inflationary increase to the 2025 tariffs for 2026.</li><li>Introduction of Saturday charging at the same tariff levels as Monday to Friday, to ensure consistency across rural car parks.</li><li>Introduction of a flat &pound;1.50 all-day charge on Sundays.</li></ul>Stanstead Abbotts<ul><li>In response to comments received, the existing 2025 tariffs will be retained with no inflationary increase for 2026. </li></ul>Urban Car Parks<ul><li>Charges to rise in all urban car parks in line with the Consumer Price Index (3.8%).</li></ul>Hertford<ul><li>The introduction of a maximum stay of 3 hours for all customers at Gascoyne Way Level A.</li><li>Amendments at Old London Road to provide both short-stay and long-stay parking.</li></ul>Bishop&rsquo;s Stortford<ul><li>The introduction of a 2.5-hour parking charge at Grange Paddocks A.</li><li>The extension of operational hours to 8:00pm at Grange Paddocks B &amp; C.</li><li>The conversion of several under-utilised disabled bays to parent and child bays at Northgate End.</li><li>Corrections to administrative and operational arrangements at Link Road and Jackson Square, including car club bays and operational hours.</li></ul>Ware<ul><li>The merger of Kibes Lane North and Kibes Lane South into a single car park, operating as short-stay parking Monday to Saturday and long-stay parking on Sundays and public holidays.</li><li>The renaming of the Library Car Park to Burgage Lane, and the reduction of the maximum stay to three hours.</li><li>The merger of Amwell End East and Amwell End West into a single Amwell End Car Park.</li></ul> Across all car parks<ul><li>The introduction of a maximum of three hours&rsquo; free parking for Blue Badge holders. In response to comments received, blue badge holders may pay to remain parked for more than three hours in the same space.</li></ul> Next StepsThe council&rsquo;s Executive has now approved the changes detailed above and the new charging structure will be introduced on 6 April 2026. We would like to thank you once again for taking the time to give us your feedback on the proposals.<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table>

Changes to car park operational hours, tariffs and maximum stay periods

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. If you require a response, please see our online forms page. We are unable to respond to any feedback you provide during either of the below forms.

How did we do today? 

Welcome to the Arts in East Herts Hub!This September and October, discover taster events in art, culture and creativity &ndash; most of them free!Take a look at our <a href="https://eastherts.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/s3fs-public/2025-10/AiEH%20programme%20-%2024102025%20.pdf">programme</a> to see the line-up of events. Full details for some events are still to come, and we&rsquo;ll be adding exciting new activities along the way &ndash; so be sure to check back often to catch the latest updates!

Arts in East Herts

Residents across North and East Herts can now spot &ldquo;Sweep Caroline&rdquo; the street sweeper, &ldquo;Dame Foodie Dench&rdquo; the food waste collection truck, and &ldquo;Binderella&rdquo; the Refuse Collection Vehicle out on their rounds &ndash; just a few of the winning names chosen for the area&rsquo;s waste collection fleet. Over the summer, residents were invited to submit name ideas for the Shared Waste Service&rsquo;s vehicles, and the response was huge. From puns to pop culture references, the chosen names reflect the community&rsquo;s wit and creativity, bringing some fun to the essential services of recycling and waste management. The final names listed below were selected by a panel including councillors, members of the waste team and crews from Veolia that use the vehicles - congratulations to those with winning entries! <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">List of named trucks serving East Herts:</td><td valign="top" width="50%">List of named trucks serving North Herts:</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">1, 2, 3, 4 Litter No More</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Bin Affleck</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Bin Diesel</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Bin There, Done That</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Binbo Baggins</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Binderella</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Bincent Van Gogh</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Bin-Go</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Binfluencer</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Binnie Eilish</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Binjamin BunnyBinny McBinface</td><td valign="top" width="50%">BinocchioChitty Chitty Bin Bin</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Bruce SpringClean</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Chris</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Captain Jack Barrow</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Composticon</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Charger (EV bike)</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Crusher (the cage tipper)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Compostimus Prime</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Dennis the BinAce</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Dame Foodie Dench</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Dream Cleaner</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Dennis the BinAce</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Dustbin Bieber</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Dusty Bin</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Dustbin Hoffman</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Evie (electric graffiti cleaning van)</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Dusty Bin</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Hector the Collector</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Dusty Springfield</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Humphrey Dustcart</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Florence &amp; The Clean Machine</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">In my Recycling Era</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Glinda the Good Bin</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Lavender</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Green Machine (garden waste truck)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Lightning McClean</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Harry the Hungry (food waste)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Lord of the Bins</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Hugh Lorry</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Obi-Wan Binobi</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Kate Binslet</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Optimus Grime</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Leafy (garden waste truck)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Orinoco</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Lewis Binilton</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Pretty Fly for a Bin Guy</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Litter Miss Sunshine</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Recyclops</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Little Miss Tidy</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Recyclosaurus Rex</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Mr Sparkles</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Ricky Gerwaste</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Optimus Grime</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Rubbish Rocket</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Prince of Waste</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Scoop</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Re-Cycle (EV bike)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Steve the sweeper</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Ricky Gerwaste</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Sunflower</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Rocky the Recycler</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">The Bin Reaper</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Ruby Recycle</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">The Bin-Credible Hulk</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Super Recycler</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Tin Can Sally</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Sweep Caroline (street sweeper)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Trash Gordon</td><td valign="top" width="50%">The Bin Reaper</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Trashasaurus Rex</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Tin Can Sally</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Truck Norris</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Van Wheeler</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Waste not Want not</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Velo-ciraptor (EV bike)</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Waste Warrior</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Waste not Want not</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Waste Wizard</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Waste Warrior</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%">Womble (bulky collections)</td><td valign="top" width="50%">Womble (bulky collections)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Meet the fleet: Winning names of new waste collection vehicles are announced

Welcome to our new Thriving Together engagement platform!This platform allows residents and partners to give us feedback, in a simple and interactive way, on how they improve their and others health and wellbeing. The information received by answering the quick survey or adding an activity to the map will help us build a better picture of all the different ways in which residents and partners make healthy lifestyle choices and live sustainable lives. Get involved so we can gather your feedback on the great health and wellbeing activities happening in East Herts.Your feedback will help inspire others in the district to discover new ways of keeping healthy and well.