Stevenage Borough Council and East Herts District Council support new joint committee for good growth

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Stevenage Borough Council and East Herts District Council are the last two of 11 councils on the Hertfordshire Growth Board to officially announce their support for the new statutory joint committee.

Building upon the success of the Growth Board collaboration over the last two years, the new committee, made up of Hertfordshire Council Leaders and Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership, will work within a democratic framework in all its future decision making. 

This increased openness and transparency in the meetings of the Growth Board will provide a means for businesses, stakeholders and residents to understand how the work of the Board will support the delivery of good growth with long-term benefits for Hertfordshire.

Councillor David Williams, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council and Chair of Hertfordshire Growth Board, said: “The joint committee is a positive step and an important evolution of the Growth Board governance. The County Council supports the work of the Growth Board and its commitment to ensuring residents, businesses and stakeholders are part of the county’s Growth journey, from meetings right through to delivery. We welcome the increased openness and transparency this joint committee will bring.”

Councillor Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, said: “We are delighted to support the formalisation of the Hertfordshire Growth Board meeting arrangements. Working together, the Hertfordshire Districts & Boroughs, the Local Enterprise Partnership and the County Council will be much better placed to bid for and hopefully secure strategic infrastructure funding from the Government that will speed up the delivery of key strategic infrastructure and much needed social and affordable homes.   

“It will also enable us to support other key initiatives that will be fundamental to the recovery of the county post covid including Community Wealth Building, tackling climate change and the ongoing development of our world class science and technology sector. In Stevenage we are working hard to realise our residents’ top priority of regenerating the town centre which we know is both good for the town and good for Hertfordshire.”

Councillor Linda Haysey, Leader of East Herts Council, said: “In East Herts, we are committed to growing our local economy as well as supporting the Growth Board and championing the need for additional infrastructure investment in Hertfordshire. We are pleased to support the new joint committee and look forward to working alongside all our partners to develop the Growth Board.”