Shaping Our District for 2021 - Help us launch the new Community Strategy and find out how to get involved

13th August 2007

Providing more activities for teenagers, reducing our impact on the environment and encouraging more volunteers are some of the issues that will be highlighted at a community conference in September.

Shaping Our Future Together is the title of first annual community conference to be hosted by the St Albans and District Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) on September 14.

The conference will see the launch of the new Community Strategy - a plan that brings together the work of public and private organisations with the aim of improving life in the district.

Keynote speakers for the day are Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts, and Stephen Joseph, of sustainable transport organisation, Transport 2000.

Matthew Taylor, who has had a long political career, joined the RSA - an organisation that encourages and supports innovation and creativity throughout society - in November last year. Previously he had been chief adviser on political strategy to the Prime Minister. He was the director of the Institute for Public Policy Research between 1999 and 2003. During that time, the institute tripled in size to become the largest independent public policy think tank in Europe.

Stephen Joseph, who lives in St Albans, has been executive director of Transport 2000 since 1988. His work in getting the organisation recognised as an authoritative environmental campaign group was recognised when he was awarded the OBE in 1996 in the Queen's Birthday Honours List and in 2004 when he won the Lifetime Contribution to Local Transport Award at the National Transport Awards.

During the conference, workshops will be held on projects identified for action in the new community strategy, such as providing activities for young people and reducing inequalities.

There will also be stalls promoting work already being undertaken as a result of the last community strategy in areas such as reducing crime, encouraging green travel and community work in Sopwell.

The work of the LSP and the projects outlined in the strategy provide a chance for everyone to get involved in making the district a better place to live, work and visit.

The conference takes place on Friday, 14th September, at Rothamsted Research Conference Centre, Harpenden between 12pm and 4.30pm.

To attend contact the LSP co-ordinator at info@stalbanslsp.org.uk or 01727 819518

Partnership members are:

• St Albans City and District Council
• Hertfordshire County Council
• Hertfordshire Constabulary
• West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust
• Oaklands College
• University of Hertfordshire
• St Albans District Association of Local Councils
• Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association
• St Albans and District Chamber of Commerce
• Rothamsted Research
• St Albans District Council for Voluntary Service
• Churches Together in St Albans
• St Albans District Environment Forum
• St Albans and District Access Group
• St Albans Racial Equality Council

For further information please contact:

Deborah Williams
Public Relations Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 814605
e-mail: d.williams@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk