Ashwell Parish Council

06/09/2026

Ashwell Parish Council Draft Minutes from 2nd September 2026 Meeting

06/09/2026

Double Yellow Lines in three locations in Ashwell - work scheduled for 7th September 2026

Highways have informed the Parish Council that after required consultation three areas in Ashwell will be painted with double yellow lines these are:

Hodwell (to ensure there is a clear route for emergency vehicles and refuce lorries)

High Street by Church Lane (due to safety issue of vehicles pulling out into the High Street)

West End (to enable clear visibility and avoid vehicles pulling out into the middle of the road).

04/09/2026

ASHWELL SPRINGS

After receiving complaints from parishioners regarding the use by the public at Ashwell Springs during the Summer months, the Parish Council wish to advise the following:

Advice from Natural England is that an SSSI site is not a playground and ask that members of the public observe the following:

Please keep dogs on a lead and out of the water. Dogs in the water can be harmful to aquatic life especially through flea and tick treatments.

1. Please do not climb the banks as this can erode the chalk face
2. Please do not use fishing nets as they can disturb the rare flatworms which include Crenobia alpina and Polycelis felina.
3. Please be aware that sun cream can be harmful to aquatic life.

The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for regular monitoring of the ecological and water quality status and flow rates in relation to the SSSI and to ensure that water abstraction under licences granted do not adversely affect these. The EA is required to have back-up plans in place to ensure that flow rates are maintained.

Information data is available on the National River Flow Archive website, (see 33040-Rhee at Ashwell Section US Wendy) :

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26/08/2026

ASHWELL SPRINGS
Ashwell Parish Council have been aware of behaviours at Ashwell Springs that could cause ecological damage. The Springs are not a playground, they are a legally protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). We understand that many people may not be aware of behaviours that can affect it. Therefore

PLEASE DO NOT:
• Wade in the water or net wildlife, there are rare freshwater invertebrates including flatworms, some of which may be relics of the Ice Age and dependant on the Springs high-quality cold water.
• Climb the bank as this can cause ecological damage to the chalk face.
• Allow dogs into the water or off the lead as flea and tick treatment from dogs can filter through to the water

ADDITIONALLY, PLEASE
• Take all litter home as this encourages rats and other pests
• Do not BBQ

If you see any of the above taking place, please help protect the springs by reporting it through these direct channels:
• Report Active Damage to Natural England - They handle enforcement for SSSIs.
o Email: [email protected]
o Phone: 0300 060 3900
o Report Nuisance or Vandalism to the Police, by dialling 101 or reporting via the portal

Contact us landing page

25/08/2026

ASHWELL SPRINGS
We are extremely lucky to have the Ashwell Springs, an SSSI, in our village.
I would like to gently remind people of Ashwell, and any visitors, that the site is a legally protected nature reserve, not a play area.
The site is being damaged by dogs being off lead in the water, parents holding their babies to urinate in the water, and climbing and clambering up the chalk face to the rails on the High Street.
Currently there is concern over the toxcicity of flea and worm medication that leeches from dogs’ skin if they have been treated recently. Here is the current warning;
Allowing dogs to jump into Ashwell Springs, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), poses severe ecological risks to its highly sensitive, rare cold-water habitats. UK wildlife trusts and the Countryside Code strongly emphasize that keeping dogs out of protected water bodies is critical to stopping chemical pollution and physical destruction.
Please can everyone help the Parish Council by respecting the existing signage that is there. It is not intended to spoil anyone’s fun, but to ensure the site is not damaged. These sites are very rare, and should be valued.

21/08/2026

A​genda of HR Committee Meeting to be held on Tuesday 25th August 2026
(published to noticeboard 20th August 2026)

21/08/2026

August Newsletter from Ashwell Parish Council

17/08/2026

BALDOCK AND VILLAGES COMMUNITY FORUM - 14th September 2026 at 7.30pm

Please click link for a poster advertising the next Baldock and Villages C​ommunity Forum which will be held in the Youth Wing at Baldock Hub (previously Baldock Community Centre) on Monday 14th September at 7.30pm.

There will be presentations on Local Government Reorganisation, North Herts Green Spaces, and the New North Herts Local Plan all with opportunities to ask questions and raise matters concerning you. Everyone is welcome

Please click here for a poster advertising the next Baldock and Villages C​ommunity Forum which will be held in the Youth Wing at Baldock Hub (previously Baldock Community Centre) on Monday 14th September at 7.30pm.

16/08/2026

Please find a statement below that has been received by the Parish Council from the Committee of Ashwell Cricket Club

Dear Residents of Ashwell

We are writing on behalf of Ashwell Cricket Club to directly address concerns regarding our water usage during the current Affinity Water Temporary Use Ban. We understand it may frustrate residents to see our sprinkler used while the village adheres to home restrictions. We want to transparently explain why this watering is legally permitted, structurally necessary, and critical for public safety.

Compliance with Affinity Water Guidance

Ashwell's water supplier, Affinity Water, maintains strict rules during a hosepipe ban. However, their official framework includes specific exemptions for recreational grass sports grounds.

Affinity Water Guidance permits the targeted watering of active playing surfaces, such as cricket creases, strictly for health and safety purposes.This is not a license to water the entire ground. Watering outfields or surrounding grass remains completely banned, and we strictly adhere to this. We only water the specific wickets being prepared for upcoming matches. Furthermore, we are doing this in the evening with a time limited sprinkler.

Preventing Irreparable Pitch Damage

Cricket wickets are made on prepared soil (we spend all winter spiking, overseeding, applying loam, rolling, etc) and entirely different from residential lawns.

Without controlled moisture, the soil shrinks, bakes dry, and cracks deeply. Once the soil dies and structurally collapses in extreme heat, it cannot be revived by rain.

If the square was allowed to die off it would require a full, costly excavation and rebuild that we could not afford.

Player safety

The most critical reason we water the wicket is to maintain player safety. An unwatered, bone-dry wicket creates dangerous, unpredictable divots and deep cracks. A hard cricket ball traveling at high speeds hitting a crack can deflect sharply toward a batsman’s face or throat, risking injury. Last summer, several players were hit on the head by variable bouncing balls as the ground grew drier and drier.

Ashwell Cricket Club is fully committed to environmental responsibility and we actively minimize our water consumption. The square has been hardly watered this summer. We carry out watering during low-evaporation hours to ensure every drop counts.We deeply appreciate your understanding, patience, and continued support in keeping local sport alive and safe during this challenging summer. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to the club committee via the Parish Council.

Yours sincerely

Ashwell Cricket Club Committee

08/08/2026

Draft Minutes from Ashwell Parish Council and meet our 3 new Parish Councillors

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