Borehamwood’s Cowley Hill Ward Councillors have welcomed proposals at Hertsmere Borough Council to implement their request that the Council invest £20,000 in a piece of social research designed to establish the causes of deprivation and to bring forward practical recommendations to address local challenges. 

These challenges include the recent outbreak of knife crime, antisocial behaviour and problems highlighted in the recent Indices of Multiple Deprivation IMD2019 published on 29 September 2019.  This report identified Cowley Hill Ward as being within the top 10% of most deprived wards nationally and as the most deprived ward in Hertfordshire.

The research will enable the Council and other agencies to ensure that efforts and funds are properly targeted in order to deliver sustainable improvements to the ward 

Hertsmere Labour Group Leader and Cowley Hill Councillor Jeremy Newmark commented: “This is an important intervention.   Over the past few decades a vast amount of money has been designated for this area and yet the net result is that things have got worse.”

“We asked Hertsmere to acknowledge that you can’t just throw money at a problem.  A solid evidence and research base will be critical in ensuring that any future plans have positive and enduring impact.”

“We would like to thank the Interim Managing Director and Economic Development Portfolio holder for accepting the invitation of the three Ward Councillors to visit the Leeming Road area, speak to local people and businesses and see the situation at first hand.  We are grateful for their swift action in taking forward our recommendation to commission this research. It is a significant first step. As local Councillors and a Labour Group we will relentlessly pursue our campaign to improve things for people in the Cowley Hill Ward and ensure that the findings of this research are implemented in partnership with other key agencies.”

Cowley Hill ward is represented by three Labour Councillors, Cllr Richard Butler, Cllr Jeremy Newmark & Cllr Michelle Vince.