Bring your Photo ID to Vote

You now need Photo ID to Vote in May and all future elections

From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations. To vote in person you will need to show a Photo ID which still looks like you do now. If you are postal voting then there is no change.

Accepted forms of Photo ID include: A full list of accepted IDs can be found here.

  • A UK or associated passport
  • A Blue Badge
  • Oyster 60+ or Freedom Pass
  • Biometric Immigration Document
  • EEA National Identity card
  • A UK or associated driving license
  • Older/disabled persons bus pass
  • A PASS card
  • Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)

 

What if I don’t have any of these?

Then you will need a Voter Authority Certificate which you can apply for.  This can be done online at the Gov.uk website via this link  or you can apply by post.

To do this you will need to fill out a paper application form which can be requested from your local council or downloaded here. You may be able to apply in person at your local council.

For full details regarding the voter ID requirements and forms please click here.

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Healthy Hub South Oxhey

Healthy Hubs by Three Rivers are a “one-stop shop” where residents can get help, information, advice and guidance to boost their physical and mental health to help them stay healthy, happy and well. Healthy Hubs work with a range of professionals who can help residents get the right service or activity for your needs. You can drop in without an appointment or access services/activities by phone or email.

Your nearest Healthy Hub Three Rivers is located at Oxhey Library

Oxhey Library, Bridlington Road, South Oxhey. WD19 7AG and runs every Thursday 9.30am-5pm

For full details about the Hub please click here >> Health Hubs Three Rivers

For details about upcoming events click here >> Health Hub events in Oxhey

 

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Text Message Scam Advice

We make no apologies for repeating scam information as these continue unrelentingly. Rip Off Britain have produced a leaflet for download and use by anyone to help stop the continuing epidemic of scams. Please click here to view the guide. About £2 million a day is still being taken in the UK by way of scams.

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Hertfordshire Health Walks

Enjoy the countryside and local green spaces with the Free Hertfordshire health walks led by qualified volunteer leaders. No booking is required, just turn up 10-15 minutes before the walk to fill a new walker form. We publicised a part of the January to April Schedule in our December Newsletter.

Click here to see the full schedule of walks from January to April 2023.

 

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Keep an eye on your stamps

In our Jubilee Edition Newsletter we published an article on how to replace your old stamps for new bar coded ones as most old ones become unusable this year.  The original date was January 31st, but this has now been extended to July 31st.  So there is still time to use them, exchange them or lose them.   The way you can change them is covered in the article on page 11 of our May 2022  Newsletter available on our website.

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The Pavilion – A glimpse of the past of Oxhey Golf Club

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We are all used to seeing the currently unused Pavilion building at the playing fields and here is a glimpse of its more illustrious past. Let’s hope that the current leaseholders and the various authorities can get an agreement in place and see this open and thriving again for the benefit of all local organisations and residents.

Read all about the Pavilion here.

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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

Queen Elizabeth

On the 8th September the death was announced of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who has served the country for over 70 years, for which we offer our thanks.  She has been an inspiration for many people around the world with her steadfast dedication to duty and remains an example to all.

She is succeeded by His Majesty King Charles III.

God Save the King.

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Waterboard Cottages – New Plan Approved

We recently reported that the planning application to demolish the waterboard cottages and build two pairs of semi-detached flat rooved dwellings, was turned down by TRDC Planning committee. The developer has now submitted a new application (ref: 22/0227/FUL on the Council website).

This application has addressed the 3 main reasons for the earlier refusal viz (i) a flat roof out of keeping with the neighbouring properties, (ii) excessive glazing and inappropriate design to the front of the properties and (iii) inadequate parking – the proposals did not meet agreed standards for this size of property.

We are therefore not opposing this application and our comment letter can be viewed on the Council website under the above number.

A further complication is the matter of an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate on the original application. We have heard that this has happened in this case but no-one has yet been officially informed because the Planning Inspectorate has not yet formally started the process. We do not know why the applicant has done this when they have now submitted a new application, but elsewhere this has resulted in the original plan being reinstated.

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Local Plan and TRJRA

Planning continues to occupy much of our time.  The previous consultation resulted in many objections and the implementation of a further round of consultations.  This of course pushes back the date for decisions, the publication of the revised plan (so we have no sight of what is now going to be proposed) and the dates for consultation and decision making expected to be two years away.  This leaves an opening for developers as no local plan will exist for some time.

Elmbridge Council has manged to produce a plan that does not involve green belt.  Is this a model; for what is needed elsewhere?  https://www.theplanner.co.uk/opinion/a-sustainable-future-for-elmbridge . 

Much lobbying and questioning is taking place behind the scenes and through the Three Rivers Joint Residents’ Association (TRJRA) – where we are actively monitoring developments.  The TRJRA has produced a leaflet which has been distributed Three Rivers wide as part of an attempt to get everyone to consider the overall position, rather than local partisan ones. Some elements of their leaflet are shown in the boxes below.

We want to see a plan based on:

  • A locally relevant calculation of housing need providing affordable homes for our residents.
  • A sustainable plan for infrastructure and protection of Green Belt.
  • A brownfield first planning strategy with windfall sites placed before Green Belt sites.
  • A vision for Three Rivers that is shared and agreed by the majority of local residents.

TRJRA have had a recent meeting with both of our local MPs and the Housing Minister where support for the concerns of the TRJRA was recognised.

Did they listen?

It is Government Policy to protect and enhance the Green Belt

  • Yes, the Minister confirmed the housing figure can be adjusted by a Local Authority if it has land constraints such as Green Belt. (76% of Three Rivers is Green Belt).
  • Yes, the Minister clearly has a strong belief in Localism, the power of Neighbourhood Planning and the need to involve local communities in decision making. He understands concerns about damage to Green Belt and the pressure caused by the current housing targets.
  • The Minister is working on a new Planning Bill (which could surface in May).
  • We posed 4 key questions which our local MPs will follow up with the Minister – including asking questions in Parliament – the responses to which will then be formally documented.

What else are we doing?

We are pressing our elected District councillors across TRDC to work together, cross party, to fight the housing target.  In the past few weeks we’ve met with all the local political Parties.  This work is progressing.

 

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Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee

On the 6th  of February this year Her Majesty The Queen became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee – 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and Commonwealth.

There will be celebrations throughout the year with the four-day bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June marking the event for all.

https://www.royal.uk/platinumjubilee

The schedule of events can be found at  https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/events/ which shows an interactive map.  These will include:

  • The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons, Thursday 2nd June https://www.queensjubileebeacons.com/
  • The Queen’s Birthday Parade Trooping the Colour 2nd June
  • The Platinum Party at the Palace, Saturday 4th June
  • The Platinum Jubilee Pageant, Sunday 5th June

As well as local street parties and many other events.

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