Three motions promoting public and community safety and advocating 'keeping a local voice for planning' were tabled at this week’s full council meeting (Wednesday 26 March) and supported.
The first called on the council to implement measures addressing crossbow-related crime, a key issue for our communities following the murders of Carol, Hannah and Louise Hunt in Bushey last year.
Proposed by borough councillor for Bushey North ward, Cllr Louise Nicolas, the motion brought the following resolutions:
- Publicly call on the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, and the Government to urgently collate and publish detailed information on all reported offences involving crossbows and related convictions.
- Request the Government to consider introducing stricter licensing legislation for crossbows to enhance public safety and prevent their misuse.
- Ask Matt Turmaine MP for Watford (whose constituency covers the Hunts’ home), and Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards to support these calls.
- Explore how the council might support the ‘UK Campaign to Change the Law Governing Crossbows’ and bring proposals forward to Cabinet as appropriate.
Cllr Nicolas explained: “Following the harrowing and tragic murders in Bushey last July, we are deeply concerned about the absence of proper regulation and oversight of crossbows and consider much more needs to be done to protect public safety.
“We are determined to push through measures locally to play our part in bringing about change and to ensure that more is done to gather data about the extent of crossbow-related offences. I am very pleased to have secured support from the council for this vital motion.”
The second motion, also proposed by Cllr Louise Nicolas. It called on the council to welcome the work undertaken by the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Champion, Cllr Nicolas, and to actively engage with key stakeholders and service providers to amplify the voice of survivors.
The council resolved to:
- engage with local specialist and ‘by and for’ services, through our recently established VAWG working group, to understand the impact of VAWG in Hertsmere and develop a strategy to support actions address this.
- ensure a comprehensive suite of information, advice, and awareness of VAWG is made available, including raising awareness of how to report instances.
- offer an education package to schools across Hertsmere, working alongside those schools and Hertfordshire County Council, as necessary.
- initiate a series of awareness and safety workshops across the borough to help our communities to stay safe.
- ask Cabinet to make a budget of £5000 available to assist the work of the VAWG champion with the education and campaign activity.
Cllr Nicolas commented: “Working with police and other stakeholders, we are collectively making progress with taking an holistic approach to tackling VAWG through education, awareness-raising and prevention programmes. This needs wide-ranging societal commitment and we have a pivotal role to play as the local authority. I appreciate the council’s backing for these important measures.”
The final motion, tabled by Cllr Harvey Cohen, ward councillor for Elstree ward, called on the council to ensure that local residents continue to have their voices heard in light of a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill being put forward by the Government aimed at 'liberalising planning rules'.
The council resolved to:
- That the Leader of the Council writes to the Deputy Prime Minister, outlining this council’s opposition to this plan.
- That the Policy Review Committee prepares mechanisms for Hertsmere’s councillors to express views on planning applications related to their ward.
Cllr Cohen commented: "I am deeply concerned that the proposed changes will lead to the vast majority of planning decisions in Hertsmere being made with no input from its councillors. It's the democratic role of councillors to be involved in the decision-making process of planning applications and removing the ability for councillors to discuss, debate or vote on key developments in their localities could erode public trust in the planning system and in Hertsmere as a Borough Council itself.
"Our residents deserve to have their voices heard and we must ensure they are at the heart of planning decisions that affect their lives. As a result of this motion being agreed, I am pleased that we can take some meaningful steps to represent our residents' interests to central government."
To read each motion in full, visit agenda items 15a, 15b and 15c of the meeting agenda: Agenda for Council on Wednesday, 26 March 2025, 7.00 pm
