St Albans Civic Society

23/07/2026

The new North West Herts Unitary Authority is coming: is transition chaos inevitable? Not if we get it right. 🏛️

Our chair Mary Conneely calls for careful planning and constructive collaboration as our local government landscape shifts. The goal: put residents at the centre of every decision.

Our priority: A clear transition plan that protects services, maintains our local voice, and avoids gaps that could leave communities behind.

This is democracy in action—and all of us need to pay attention.

Read Mary’s comments in the latest edition of St Albans Times:

https://stalbanstimes.co.uk/district-council/st-albans-and-dacorum-councils-to-merge-as-new-unitary-authority/

22/07/2026

⏳ One week left to nominate your favourite St Albans design for the Civic Society Awards 2026!

🏡 That beautiful restoration on your street. The clever new build that fits right in. A reimagined green space, a lovingly rebuilt wall. If it made St Albans look or feel better — we want to know about it.

🏆 The St Albans Civic Society Awards 2026 the best design, development and craftsmanship completed across the city in 2024 and 2025. The special Trevelyan Award goes to an outstanding conservation project.

Take inspiration from this selection of our 2024 winners 🏅

📝 Email [email protected] — any project, large or small, that adds character, quality or craft to our city.

📅 Deadline: Friday 31 July 2026
🎭 Ceremony: October 2026, Abbey Theatre

Don’t let a great project go unrecognised. Full details in bio.

17/07/2026

🎉 Congratulations to all who voted and campaigned for a !

The council approved this week the plan for a new elected body for central St Albans, to be called (drum roll 🥁🥁)…

🎆 St Albans City Centre Parish 🎇

The first elections for 25 parish councillors will be held on May 6 2027.

More info on St Albans City and District Council website: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/CGR-final-recs

11/07/2026

🌞 The coolest place for tea in St Albans on a hot day? 🫖

Try the old courtroom St Albans Museums - and if that’s still too warm for you, there are always the cells….

09/07/2026

🤔 Everything you wanted to know about parish councils but were afraid to ask….

As central St Albans prepares for local government reorganisation, hear directly from the people who've built parish councils from scratch.

Join us for an expert panel on how parish councils really work: the decisions, the pitfalls, and what "good" looks like from day one.

📅 Friday 10th July
🕡 6.30pm start (refreshments!) – 8.30pm finish
📍 Dagnall Street Baptist Church, 1 Cross St, AL3 5EE

Featuring:
🗣️ Richard Lloyd – Lib Dem Leader, Aylesbury Town Council
🗣️ Terry Philpott – Town Clerk, Ware Town Council
🗣️ Reg Williams - ex-City Clerk of Salisbury

Open to Councillors, residents' groups, faith groups, SADC officers, the BID, and anyone invested in the future of central St Albans.

Space is limited — register now ✍️ with Cllr Nuala Webb: [email protected]

08/07/2026

🗞️ Seek truth, hold power to account, engage readers, cultivate the next generation, and stay human 🤖!

Just some of the insights from Wednesday night’s Civic Society talk by Matt Adams, St Albans Times editor, in conversation with the FT’s Andrew Hill, on the importance of local news and local democracy. Introduced by society chair

📆 For forthcoming events, see our bio.

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07/07/2026

📰 What would St Albans look like without local journalism?

We’re delighted to welcome Matt Adams, Editor of the St Albans Times, in discussion with the FT’s Andrew Hill, on why local news is essential to the civic and democratic fabric of our communities.

From school news to council decisions, how does local reporting inform, engage and empower us — and can it hold its own in the age of social media?

📍 Lower Hall, Dagnall Street Baptist Church, St Albans
🗓️ Wed 8 July | 7:30–9:00pm
🍷 Wine included | Free to members | £7.50 non-members

All welcome — we’d love to see you there.

🔗 Details via the link in bio.

06/07/2026

👀 “We have consistently argued that other community/business groups have a legitimate right to be heard on, participate in and contribute to a shadow council.” — Mary Conneely, chair, St Albans Civic Society

SADC leader Cllr Paul de Kort has responded to criticism surrounding the make-up of a new organisation which will steer the creation of a parish council for St Albans city centre.

30/06/2026

📰 Does local news hold our democracy together?

In a world of algorithms and sensationalist headlines, local journalism matters more than ever. Join us to hear why.

Matt Adams, editor The St Albans Times, in conversation with Andrew Hill of the Financial Times about why local newspapers are the lifeblood of our communities.

📍 Lower Hall, Dagnall Street Baptist Church, St Albans
🗓️ Wed 8 July | 7:30–9:00pm
🍷 Wine included | Free to members | £7.50 non-members

All welcome.

https://www.stalbanscivicsociety.com/event/in-conversation-with-matt-adams/

22/06/2026

🏛️ We have a once-in-a-generation chance to get local government in St Albans right!

🗓️ TOMORROW! Tuesday 23 June, 7pm — Strategy & Resources Committee, Council Offices. Turn up to show councillors who needs to be part of a future parish council.

St Albans District Council's new report sets out plans for a Parish Council — and a 'Shadow' version to start this year. But as proposed, the Shadow Council would be made up only of district councillors.

We agree with Sopwell Residents Association - Page’: it should include voting community representatives too — from residents' associations, the BID, faith groups, charities, and yes, us. People with skin in the game of caring for this city's heritage and future.

✉️ Email your councillor before the 23rd. Ask for a Shadow Council that's broader than councillors alone and that genuinely reflects St Albans, not just inherits the old district council.

https://sopwell.org.uk/st-albans-parish-council-proposal/