Updated: 7 January 2021
The national lockdown restrictions now in place affect several council services. Find out more by selecting a service area:
- Customer Service Centre
- Waste and recycling
- Leisure centres and parks
- Public toilets
- Car parking
- North Hertfordshire Museum and Hitchin Town Hall
- Markets
- Herts Careline
- Cemeteries and burials
- Council meetings and councillor surgeries
- Planning and building control
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Customer Service Centre
- Our Customer Service Centre is currently closed to visitors, however all our services are fully operational
- You can contact us online or call us on 01462 474000
- Our phone lines will be closed on Friday 8 January from 9am-12.30pm for staff training
Waste and recycling
- Waste collections are running as normal
- Bin collection days will change over the Christmas and New Year period as usual
- Household Waste Recycling Centres at Letchworth and Royston are open for essential visits only
Leisure centres and parks
- North Herts Leisure Centre, Royston Leisure Centre, Archers Gym and Hitchin Swimming Centre are closed
- Playgrounds are open
- Parks and open spaces are open for exercise, but you must observe social distancing guidance
Public toilets
- Public toilets are open
- Howard Park and Gardens public toilets currently close at 4.30pm daily
Car parking
- Parking charges still apply in Council car parks
- On street parking restrictions will continue to be enforced
- Hertfordshire County Council has made changes to some town centres to better support social distancing
- Free parking permits are available to assist NHS staff, health and social care workers, and NHS volunteers (we will not be issuing permits to other key workers)
North Hertfordshire Museum and Hitchin Town Hall
- North Hertfordshire Museum is closed until further notice
- Hitchin Town Hall is closed until further notice
Markets
- Hitchin Market is open for essential retail only
Herts Careline
- Herts Careline's community alarm and telecare service is open, taking calls from the emergency 24/7 Control Room
Cemeteries and burials
- North Herts district cemeteries are open to visitors, however non-essential visits should be avoided
- Find out more about changes to the North Hertfordshire district cemeteries service
Council meetings and councillor surgeries
- Council meetings are running online and are broadcast on our YouTube channel
- Decisions due to be taken at Committee meetings have either been deferred or decided under delegated authority. More details can be found on our Council and Committee Meetings page
Planning and building control
- Local Plan hearings are taking place online
- Planning Reception is closed, but planning applications are being registered and determined as normal
- Please submit planning applications and fees using the Planning Portal, as hard copy applications and cheques may take longer to process
- Building Control inspections must still be carried out - Hertfordshire Building Control continues to provide a full building control service