Hitchin's future up for discussion

A GROUP of community organisations want to meet council representatives to discuss their town's future.

Hitchin Historical Society, Hitchin Forum, The Hitchin Society, Keep Hitchin Special and the Triangle Residents' Association want to meet North Hertfordshire District Council to discuss their concerns regarding Hitchin.

A joint letter sent by them to the council contains this request and also highlights fears they have over the handling of certain issues in the town by the council, for example the future of Hitchin Town Hall.

The letter was signed by all five groups - an "unprecedented act" according to a spokesman for The Hitchin Society.

The letter follows the recent erection of banners across the town which criticised the council's handling of public buildings.

The responsibility for this act has yet to be claimed by anyone from the town.

Speaking about the letter, a spokesman for the Hitchin Forum said: "We represent an awful lot of people in Hitchin and we feel that confidence of the council has diminished.

"We are asking to meet with the council and see how they can rebuild the trust. "We've got to work together."

A spokesman for the council said it will be replying to the letter shortly.

The spokesman said: "The council always does involve these organisations in matters affecting them and, for example, some of the groups who have written gave a presentation of their views on some issues to a recent meeting of the council's cabinet."

John Robinson, the council's strategic director of customer services, last week sent a letter to The Comet in reply to one which appeared the previous week which suggested the council was wasting police time by getting them involved in investigating the erection of the banners.

Mr Robinson did not want to expand on his letter because of the ongoing police investigation.

A Hertfordshire Police spokesman said the investigation was still continuing.