HGB - Hertfordshire Growth Board launches shared vision for sustainable future

Hertfordshire’s leaders have launched an ambitious vision for sustainable growth that will benefit residents, businesses and communities for future generations.

Made up of representatives from across Hertfordshire County Council, Hertfordshire LEP, the 10 district and borough councils, the police and health, Hertfordshire Growth Board (HGB) works together to deliver a thriving and sustainable economy, environment and society across the county.

Over the past year, HGB leaders have come together around a shared purpose and set of countywide goals to help identify opportunities that will unlock and boost investment, take a more joined up approach to growth challenges and respond to wider societal pressures. These six goals, known as missions, were then developed further after the public fed back their views via a survey which attracted 4,379 responses.

This will enable Hertfordshire to collectively leverage its strengths and strong leadership across local government, business, health, police and education to secure future Government deals and attract private sector investment for the benefit of its people and places.

By working together, it can take a countywide approach to reducing carbon emissions, improving transport links and increasing quality sustainable housing provision, widening access to healthcare and education, and reducing crime and poverty to support its most vulnerable communities.

The shared vision and missions – launched at a meeting of the Hertfordshire Infrastructure and Development Board at Sopwell House, St Albans – will help guide and steer the focus of the Growth Board over the coming years. It sets out a collective ambition to create:

A vibrant and resilient economy that seizes the right opportunities, enabling Hertfordshire’s residents and businesses to succeed
Healthy, inclusive, safe and better-connected communities who thrive, and enjoy Hertfordshire’s quality of life
A place that grows responsibly, and celebrates its heritage, diversity, rural and green landscapes that makes Hertfordshire special.

Six core missions have also been identified to take forward this new vision. These are:

World Class Economy: to enhance Hertfordshire’s reputation as a world-class economy
by improving skills and job opportunities for residents, growing our key sectors and
accelerating business investment into the county;
Digital Access: for every Hertfordshire resident to have access to best-in-class connectivity, essential digital skills, and the device or support that they need to be online by 2030;
Transport for Hertfordshire: to deliver a safe and integrated transport system which unlocks growth and enables communities and businesses to thrive;
Right Homes, Right Places: to deliver the right homes, including increasing the provision of social/affordable and specialist homes, in the right locations and with associated infrastructure, to support the county’s socio-economic prosperity;
Healthy and Safe Places for All: By 2040, Hertfordshire’s residents and communities will benefit from neighbourhoods that are designed and regenerated with physical health, mental wellbeing, safety and social connectedness at the heart;
Sustainable County: By 2050, Hertfordshire will be a prosperous, low carbon economy with a thriving natural environment, having maximised the benefits of sustainable growth for our residents and businesses, and achieved net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

These missions were road-tested with the public to ensure they were representative of local views. The results of the survey, which ran for one month between November-December 2023, demonstrated an overwhelming majority were strongly in favour of the missions, in particular Healthy Places (88%); World Class Economy (85%) and Transport for Hertfordshire (85%).

Feedback analysis on the engagement findings helped to shape the final report, with sustainable goals, actions and success measures defined for each mission. The focus now will be on taking forward the actions and reporting back on progress to residents and stakeholders.

Cllr Richard Roberts, Leader, Hertfordshire County Council and Chair, Hertfordshire Growth Board, said: “The Vision and Missions represent a significant step change in how this county will work together to deliver good, sustainable growth. Hertfordshire’s leaders across place, policing, health and the economy are united by a common purpose that will guide our future direction.

“We will continue to ensure Hertfordshire remains a world class economy where residents and businesses thrive, that we have the best in class digital connectivity in all parts of our county and that residents benefit from improved access and choice in passenger transport, quality sustainable homes and access to natural green spaces.”

Cllr Elizabeth Dennis, Leader of North Herts Council and Vice Chair, Hertfordshire Growth Board, said: “This has been a huge undertaking taken together in partnership with our businesses, district and borough colleagues to ensure that the Vision and Missions are representative of local views.

“For us to deliver on the issues that really matter, we first had to listen to our communities about the needs and challenges they faced. This broadened our understanding and will help us to deliver lasting and profound benefits for the many not just the privileged few, widening access and participation to all. This is just the start of a countywide conversation and I look forward to updating businesses and residents on our progress later in the year.”

Cllr Chris White, Leader of St Albans City and District Council and Vice Chair, Hertfordshire Growth Board, said: “This joined up approach to growth will help us to create a more resilient economy so that our businesses are better equipped to succeed, our communities thrive, and that we ensure a sustainable future for Hertfordshire. Our missions will help Hertfordshire to reach its full economic potential and in doing so, raise living standards for its communities and towards a more sustainable and inclusive definition of economic success.”

To read the full Hertfordshire Vision and Missions Report and the findings of the Engagement Survey, please visit www.hertfordshiregrowthboard.com/documents/vision-and-missions