A new action group in a town is set to be launched next month.

Hitchin Forum, the Hitchin Society, Hitchin Historical Society and Hitchin Initiative have come together to launch Hitchin Town Action Group.

The aim of the group is to give residents in Hitchin the platform to voice any concerns affecting the town.

It is envisaged that there will be three open meetings a year with an invitation for all to attend.

Six meetings a year will be held, which will be made up of members of the three societies plus the Hitchin Initiative.

Councillors will be invited to attend open meetings and a report will be given to North Herts District Council’s Hitchin Committee.

The first meeting, which will be chaired by Hitchin town centre manager Keith Hoskins, will be at 8pm on October 16 at The Sun on Sun Street in Hitchin.

The group aims to keep people in the town up-to-date with issues and events, as well as giving them the opportunity to contribute to issues such as the proposed Churchgate redevelopment.

Addressing the Hitchin Committee at a meeting this month, Adrian Gurney from Hitchin Forum said: “There has been growing demand from local people that they would like to know more about what is happening in the town centre and be able to influence thinking earlier in the process, and we hope that Hitchin Town Action Group will help to meet that need.”