SAPHRA
The Residents’ Association for Sopwell Lane, Albert Street, Pageant Road, Hart Road,
The Ryder Seed Mews Estate, Saracens Head Yard, Pearce’s Walk and Keyfield Terrace
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Notes of SAPHRA meeting held on Tuesday 12th May 2026
at the White Hart Hotel, Holywell Hill, St Albans
Present: Officials: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Minutes Secretary
And: Cllr Hughes, Cllr Voisey, 1 resident of Pageant Road, 1 resident of Hart Road, 2 residents of Sopwell Lane
Apologies for absence: 2 residents of Albert St, 1 resident of Pageant Rd
The subjects discussed in the meeting were:
- Welcome:
Roger welcomed Sean Hughes, a newly elected District Councillor for St Peter’s Ward, to our meeting. Our thanks were also extended to Councillor Jacqui Taylor, who is retiring as a District Councillor and moving with her husband to London.
- Finances and banking arrangements:
Our current balance with Metro Bank stands at £505.83. Since learning that Metro Bank will now charge us £3 per month for having our account with them, Tim has been researching several local banks for their monthly charges and discovered that Nat West might offer us a free account as our Vice Chair has a personal account at the bank. Tim and Angela will visit Nat West bank next week to enquire.
Roger will put in a claim on behalf of SAPHRA for the annual grant of £100 from SADC (St Albans District Council).
- Local Government reorganisation – unitary authorities:
- The Councils in Hertfordshire could not agree if Herts should be split into 2, 3, or 4 unitaries, so made several proposals and left it to the Minister to decide. The public consultation on the proposals has now ended. The Minister’s decision is expected this summer. It is rumoured that Steve Reed (Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government) may favour 3 or 4 unitaries rather than 2.
- The elections to the new unitary authorities are scheduled for May 2027, with the new authorities becoming operational (and SADC ceasing to exist) in 2028.
- Local Government reorganisation – Strategic Authority & elected Mayor:
- Strategic Authorities, led by an elected Mayor, serving a population of 1.5 million or more will be responsible for planning, housing, transport, health, environment etc.
- It is possible that, if Hertfordshire is split into 2 or more unitary authorities, we could have a Strategic Authority (and subsequently an elected Mayor) covering what was Hertfordshire.
- Unfortunately we don’t have any up-to-date information about this.
- Local Government reorganisation – unparished area in central St Albans:
- SAPHRA is working with the CCRA and St Albans Civic Society in support of a Parish (City) Council for the unparished area. Together we distributed 10,000 leaflets in the unparished area encouraging residents to support the creation of a parish council. The final round of consultation finished in February
- The responses to the consultation and the proposed recommendations will be considered by SADC’s Strategy and Resources Committee on 23rd June.
- The full Council will consider and decide final recommendations on 15th July, with any Community Governance Orders made in autumn 2026, with first elections to any new parish council taking place in May 2027.
- City Neighbourhoods Committee of SADC:
- Is working to establish which SADC assets might be transferred to a new Parish Council
- Has put a motion about this for discussion by the SADC Strategy & Resources Committee on 23rd June
- Was due to meet on 17th June. Now proposing to delay its next meeting until after 23rd June
- Combined Central residents Associations:
- Working closely with CNC and Civic Society on CGR / Parish Council
- Local Plan:
- A “consultation on the Main Modifications to the Draft Local Plan” commenced on 13th April 2026
- This slightly off-putting statement means that the government inspectors are satisfied with the draft plan, subject to some minor amendments, and it is quite close to being adopted. Importantly, the emerging local plan will now carry significant weight in decision making about development proposals.
- Sopwell Lane Green Oasis:
The four new trees planted along the centre of the green oasis have taken root and are now in leaf.
Plans are being made to hold our second summer get-together on the green oasis (see below) and a gardening day will be arranged in the near future with a view to tidying up and planting out the site in readiness for this coming event. A gazebo and a large folding table will be acquired possibly through ‘Share St Albans’, a newly set up borrowing library of household items, DIY and gardening equipment and party supplies. For more information follow this link https:/www.sharestalbans.org
Roger and Cathy will resume work on the two information boards that will be erected on the site.
- Parking review in Zones M & N:
- Members at the meeting were asked for their thoughts about the new revised parking days and hours. Most agreed that there was significant improvement to parking availability.
- In Zone M, Keyfield Terrace, the rules no longer allow purchase of a 1-hour permit to park in a residents’ bay, and the ticket machine has been sealed. However, the Pay-By-Phone app used by SADC still allows the purchase of a 1-hour permit to park in a residents’ bay in Keyfield Terrace, even though this would not be valid (but do the machines used by the parking officers know that such a permit is not valid?) Cllr Voisey offered to make enquiries.
- Former Ryder Exhibition Hall / Moka restaurant:
- There have been no complaints about disturbance from the new Moka restaurant. The opening hours seem to be working well
-The long-awaited Blue Plaque for Samuel Ryder is to be mounted on what is now the Moka restaurant and will be inaugurated on Tuesday 23rd June at 1pm.
- Summer get-together:
There will be a summer get-together held on Sunday 19th July on the Sopwell Lane Green Oasis at 3pm. SAPHRA will provide soft drinks and light snacks. People may bring their own alcohol and seating it they wish. We will need to borrow a gazebo for the day. An invitation will be printed and delivered to all households in our catchment area.
- SAPHRA’s next meeting:
Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 30th June 2026 at 8:00 pm in The White Hart Hotel, 23-25 Holywell Hill.
- Any Other Business:
- Cars are still exceeding the 20-mph speed limit in Sopwell Lane and Albert Street. One suggestion is to put up several “hedgehog” 20 mph signs as there is no restriction on how many of these can be displayed. Cllr Voisey offered to supply SAPHRA with some of these signs.
- Concern has been raised about the incorrect ‘No Right Turn’ sign at the top of Bardwell Road where it joins Sopwell Lane, next to Malthouse Court. Cllr Matt Fisher has raised this issue with Herts County Council, but it appears that they will only take action if the incorrect sign actually causes an accident.
- Professor Tim Boatswain, our Treasurer, has written a new play “A Roman Theatre Spectacle” which will be performed by OVO at the Roman Theatre of St Albans on Sunday 9th August at 6pm. A few tickets are available from ovo.org.uk.
- The graves of Nathaniel Cotton and his two (sequential) wives, Anne Pembroke and Hannah Everett, are being restored thanks to the fundraising efforts of Professor Tim Boatswain and Dr. Florian Ruths. The completion of this work will be celebrated on Monday 1st June at 12 noon in the churchyard of St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Street, St Albans AL1 3HG
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