News items August 2007

Future management arrangements for Hitchin Town Hall

North Herts District Council's Scrutiny Committee met on 16th July to discuss the future management arrangements for Hitchin Town Hall.

The council stated that the Town Hall was not to be 'disposed of' but would be offered under a long lease to a third party operator who would take over the management arrangements and maintain the property. There had been indirect consultation through a district-wide survey and dialogue with the local community.

HHS submitted the following statement to be circulated to all committee members and read out at the meeting:

The Hitchin Historical Society is not just interested in our town's past history: it is also concerned that awareness of this history informs decision making for the present.We are, therefore, extremely concerned about the future management arrangements now being made for the Town Hall. In 1900 the New Town Hall was created through local philanthtopy and civic effort as a resource for the people of Hitchin. It is still a key local venue for which there is no altemative. Our Society has utilised it for periodic large scale events such as historic film evenings and fund raising efforts. It is still a key element in civic functions such as in the hosting of twin town visits. Increasingly North Hertfordshire District Council seems to have no regard for Hitchin's collective and civic identity of which the New Town Hall is a potent symbol. This Council perspective must change as Hitchin's distinctive needs within the District require proper recognition. A clear policy to ensure that the Town Hall remains properly available to Hitchin's inhabitants for community use would go some way towards addressing our view that the Council is routinely failing in its duties towards our town.

This page updated 7th August 2007