Hertsmere First

26/10/2026

We were thrilled to participate in yesterday’s fantastic celebration of diversity in our borough. Thank you to Martine Eni and Victor Eni, the driving force behind the annual diversity festival bringing together so many different cultures and communities. Particular highlights were the food (of course!), the community choir, and the big debate on immigration chaired by Nick Male and which included our very own Graeme Alexander on the panel.

Hertsmere First
People before politics.

25/10/2026

20/10/2026

From all of us at Hertsmere First, happy Dussehra to all those celebrating!

19/10/2026

And for Bushey residents - in case you missed it, our very first Bushey edition of the Hertsmere Beacon brought to your letterboxes by Hertsmere First.

19/10/2026

For those of you who missed it - the ‘Hertsmere Beacon’ (Borehamwood version) brought to your letterboxes by Hertsmere First.

12/10/2026

🚨 CAMPAIGN VICTORY! PLANNING APPLICATION TO WEAKEN ALDENHAM RESERVOIR’S SAFEGUARDS WITHDRAWN! 🚨

A victory for local residents. A victory for our community. And a reminder of what we can achieve when we stand together.

This evening, residents and campaigners have reason to celebrate. Planning application 26/1259/MPO has been withdrawn by the private owners of Aldenham Reservoir.

This matters. Because this was about protecting a crucial safeguard linking progress on the approved industrial development on Green Belt land in Elstree Village to meaningful progress on essential dam safety works.

Under the legal agreement established in 2024, the owners were required to “substantially commence” dam repair works before 50% of the planned industrial units and warehouse space could be occupied.

The withdrawn application sought to change the definition of “substantially commence” by removing a key part of that requirement. With no defined completion date for the dam repairs and no further milestone requiring the principal remediation works to physically commence, residents had every reason to be concerned about weakening this protection.

That is why this safeguard matters. And that is why residents spoke up.

✊ Hertsmere First helped drive this campaign forward.

Councillor Marc Amron submitted the call-in request to bring the application before the Planning Committee, while Cllr Dan Ozarow issued the initial call to action that galvanised residents.

Save Aldenham Reservoir Campaign also played a decisive role. Dozens of residents submitted objections, joined by Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council.

Together, residents made their concerns heard.
And tonight, the application has been withdrawn.

💔 Our Reservoir has already lost so much.

The play area has gone.
The Sailing Club has gone.
Water levels have suffered.
Wildlife has suffered.

And opportunities for the public to enjoy this much-loved local landmark have diminished.

Aldenham Reservoir deserves to be protected, not forgotten. It is part of our local identity, our natural environment and our community’s heritage. Residents have every right to demand that the safeguards designed to protect its future are taken seriously.

⚠️ BUT THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE FIGHT.

Let’s be clear: this withdrawal does not stop the proposed development opposite the Reservoir. The Reservoir itself was not directly threatened by this application.
What it does mean is that the existing safeguard remains in place for now — and we will be watching closely to see what happens next.

Tonight, residents have shown that their voices matter.

To everyone who submitted an objection, raised awareness, contacted councillors, supported the campaign or stood up for Aldenham Reservoir: THANK YOU.
This is what community action looks like. This is what happens when people refuse to stand by in silence.

💚 Hertsmere First will continue to stand up for our residents, our Green Belt and the places that make our community special 💜

10/10/2026

BUSHEY HIGH STREET- WHEN PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER, PROGRESS HAPPENS.

Today Hertsmere First’s Councillor Marc Amron met with local resident Murray Lee Chairman of the Kemp Place Residents Association, who with Marc spearheaded the petition calling for action on Bushey High Street, to see the works currently taking place.

“It was great to see quality tangible progress”, said Marc, “and I want to thank Murray for his determination, everyone who signed and supported the petition, and the councillors from both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups who have played a part in the effort to secure improvements and of course our thanks to Hertfordshire Highways for doing the work.”

Getting things done locally often takes persistence, cooperation and a willingness to push for answers. Above all, it takes residents who care enough about their community to speak up.

At Hertsmere First, we believe that when something positive happens for Bushey, it shouldn’t matter which party someone belongs to. If people have contributed to a good outcome for our residents, they deserve credit.

That’s how we believe local politics should work. Less party political point scoring, less time spent arguing with one another, and more time listening to residents and working towards practical results.

There will always be disagreements in politics, but our priority will always remain the same: People before Politics

That’s what we stand for, and that’s what we will continue to work towards for Bushey and the wider Hertsmere community.

Hertsmere First
People before politics

10/10/2026

IT’S OUR TOWN –IT’S WHERE WE LIVE. TODAY IT FEELS A LITTLE NICER

Over the past few weeks, I have been working hard to fix a number of issues that have made Borehamwood & Elstree look and feel like a nicer place. Most upsetting was the spate of anti-British and Antisemitic graffiti, but we got that removed within 24 hours.

Have a great weekend
Dan

09/10/2026

🌳 HERTSMERE FIRST'S GRAEME ALEXANDER PAYS TRIBUTE TO RESIDENTS WHO CAMPAIGNED TIRELESSLY TO SAVE WELL END 🌳

On 7 October, Cllr Graeme Alexander addressed Full Council and paid tribute to the fantastic residents who mobilised, campaigned and fought tirelessly to remove Well End from the Local Plan proposals. 💪🌱

He explained that this was why he could not vote against the Local Plan — without an adopted plan, Well End would once again be exposed to speculative development, undoing years of resident‑led work. ⚠️

However, he also could not vote for the plan. Graeme abstained, alongside Hertsmere First colleague Councillor Marc Amron, due to serious concerns about the scale of Green Belt loss elsewhere and unanswered questions around the plan’s overall credibility. 🟦📄

🎥 Watch his speech below. 👇