With local elections coming on Thursday, May 2, we reached out to every party standing in North Herts and asked them why people should vote for them.

The below statements are pledges, policies and ideas of the various parties running in the North Herts Council local elections for 2024.

Here's what they had to say.

Christian Peoples Alliance

"The Christian Peoples Alliance is standing on a platform promising to be the party that will get things done.

"We claim there has been no progress on the Churchgate Development. Promises have been made by the Labour/Lib Dem Council but they’ve made no progress. We would bring in a private developer and transform the area.

"There has been no access to the station from the rear. Labour councillors & the Conservative MP have made promises on this. No progress has been made. We will get a new pedestrian access built.

"There is no preservation of the Green Belt. The Conservative MP has promised he would earmark land around Hitchin as an area of natural beauty and there would be no building on it. It hasn’t happened and new developments are taking place. Labour & Lib Dems support the building. We oppose it.

"There has been no progress on a new access to the industrial estate. Lorries are going down Fishponds Road and Grove Road into the industrial areas roads unsuitable for heavy lorries. Schools on the route create a serious danger to children. We will at least put a plan in place to get a new road access built."

Conservative

"Since the Conservatives lost control of the council in 2019 an independent survey in 2023 showed that public satisfaction with the way the council is run has fallen from 73 per cent to an all time low of just 43 per cent under the control of the Labour/Liberal Democrat Alliance.

"During the same period, council tax, brown bin charges, and councillor allowances have all increased.

"The Conservative group tabled a budget proposal this year to freeze council tax rises when many of us are facing financial difficulties. The Labour/Lib-Dem Alliance chose instead to increase council tax by the maximum permissible.

"The Alliance have already decided to cut bin collections to once every 3 weeks, remove 30 per cent of litter bins, reduce street cleaning and fly tipping response times and stop the clearance of leaves in the autumn. But they have managed to spend over £4M of your money on acquiring the lease of a dilapidated shopping centre with no plans for its future.

"The message is clear - vote Labour or Lib-Dem and you will pay more and get less.

"Use your vote on May 2 to put the Conservatives back in control and we will give you value for money and invest wisely."

Green

“All of our candidates are active in local campaigns.”

“Our three Bearton candidates are all working hard in local communities: Tim Lee supports local residents at the food bank and beyond. Deolinda Elringham is not only actively campaigning for better air quality but also the coordinator of one of the most successful TerraCycling schemes in North Herts, turning unrecyclable waste into funds for local charities. Mary Marshall is a local campaigner active in church groups.”

“Our candidates work hard all year round at the heart of our local communities. We want to give them the chance to take this voice into the council chamber to add a new perspective.

"There have been recent Green Party successes across the country, including neighbouring East Herts Council, where Greens now hold more seats than any other party.

“A Green in the room has proven to be the most effective way to hold administrations to account, be it to take the climate emergency seriously or improving our social care and health services. Green policies are fact-based, fair and compassionate.

“In North Herts this means immediate work to improve the disastrous local plan the administration has waved through, allowing low standard and unaffordable homes to be built on precious Green Belt, action to properly monitor and improve air quality and support for local households to insulate and sustainably heat their homes.

"Voting for your local Green candidate in North Herts, means supporting their invaluable work in our towns and helping them to carry this work into the council. We will only get a safer, greener future with choosing a fairer present!"

Labour

"Labour has led a joint administration at North Herts Council since 2019, taking over from a Conservative administration that failed on the basics, like getting our bins collected on time.

"Over the last 14 years, we've had cuts to our funding from Conservative and Conservative/Lib Dem coalition governments. Nonetheless, Labour-led North Herts Council has delivered when other local authorities have struggled.

"We’ve protected what you value most, like our parks and playgrounds, invested in our communities with our innovative Community Investment Fund, and are launching our trail-blazing Women’s Safety Charter which will ensure women and girls are safe and included when visiting, working and living in our district. 

"In the local elections on Thursday, May 2, North Herts Labour is offering a fully-costed, ambitious, attainable plan for the next four years and beyond.

"Our plan for a Fairer, Greener North Herts commits us to work with and for you, build better homes, protect our environment, save our high streets and deliver better health opportunities for everyone.  We will ensure your money is spent wisely, investing in essential local services.

"Your local Labour candidates bring a wealth of experience, passion and dedication to public service, and are ready to ensure a Labour-run North Herts Council continues to deliver for you and your family. As the only party that has produced and published a local, fully-costed and comprehensive manifesto, Labour has the plan North Herts needs. You can read it in full at bit.ly/FairerGreener. 

"By voting for your Labour candidates on Thursday 2 May, you can make sure your voice is heard."

Liberal Democrats

"Over the last five years Liberal Democrats have played an important role in getting North Herts Council to do more for the environment and listen to local people’s views.

"However, we believe that a Liberal Democrat-run council can achieve more to improve our district and the lives of people who live here.

"We need to make much more progress not just in cutting the council’s own energy use and expanding wilding and biodiversity but also in helping residents and businesses to do the same.

"An important part of that will be ensuring that the update of the Local Plan takes far more account of the environment than the current Conservative prepared one. We need a new plan that delivers good quality, affordable housing, with the right infrastructure, rather than just accommodating the developers’ desires.

"Of course, many issues that concern people in North Herts, such as the state of the roads, poor bus services and inadequate support for children with special needs, are the responsibility of Hertfordshire County Council, which will continue to be run by the Conservatives until next year.

"But North Herts Council does have a role to play in holding the county council to account when it does a bad job and arguing that they must do better for North Herts citizens.

"We believe that, whilst the joint administration of the last few years has made valuable progress, we could achieve so much more with a Liberal Democrat council and really achieve a fair deal for North Herts."

Reform UK

"My name is Steve Adelantado. I am the prospective parliamentary candidate for North East Hertfordshire. I am also standing for election in the Letchworth Grange ward in the North Herts Council Elections.

"In total, Reform UK are fielding 7 candidates across 5 wards in North Herts Council.

"We are a party that believes in low tax and high growth. 

"At Reform UK, we recognise that what is right for one community, may not be a good fit everywhere else. Hence our local government elected officials are not whipped along party lines, but are free to vote in the best interests of the residents they represent.

"There is no doubt that local authorities around the country are facing financial difficulties. Council tax payer money must be spent wisely. 

"In 2019, North Herts Council declared a climate emergency, and developed a climate change strategy. I will look closely at this if elected, to see whether the additional costs justify the measures, and provide a voice of opposition to any expensive vanity projects that put increased demands on hard pressed council tax payers, to ensure value for money.

"If you elect Reform UK councillors, we will represent you."