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Good Morning {{first_name | Reader}},
The local election has been and gone, but the conversations it started is far from over. Downing Street is still in emergency sessions following the results, and across Hertfordshire the outcomes are being picked apart by councillors, campaigners, and communities alike.
Broxbourne held for the Conservatives despite a significant Reform UK push, which will come as a relief to many sitting councillors. But this may well have been the last election fought under the current borough structure. With a. major local government reorganisation update arriving this summer, the political map of Hertfordshire is about to be redrawn, and what that means for residents, representation, and accountability is not yet clear.
I have written a full commentary (published on our sister publication Hertstown) on the county-wide results - what happened, what it signals, and what comes next as we head into reorganisation. If you care about how this area is governed, it is worth your time.
Today’s edition is packed, local news, community events, and a few things happening sooner than you might think. Have a read before the day runs away with you.
A genuine thank you to everyone who reached out over the past few days with kind words, and to those who bought me a coffee. It means more than you know and it keeps this going.
💌 Love this newsletter? Share it with a friend or family member and buy me a coffee if you haven't already 😉💌
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COMMUNITY UPDATES
Renting rules in England have changed, here's what landlords need to know
Private landlords across England are now subject to new rights and responsibilities following changes to tenancy law, covering how rents are set, how evictions work, and what protections tenants now have. The government has published full guidance on the changes, and landlords are expected to be familiar with the new rules without delay. If you rent out a property in Hertfordshire, read the official guidance before your next tenancy interaction.
Mental Health Awareness Week is happening right now, here is where to get support
Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 11 to 17 May 2026, and Hertfordshire Libraries is pointing residents toward a wide range of organisations, support groups, and books available through the county's library network. Every library in Hertfordshire has a Social Care Hub where residents can browse mental health information without having to speak to anyone. The county's mental health awareness blog brings together signposting, library social groups, and a curated reading list in one place.
Hertfordshire Archives opens up local history for Explore Your Archives Month
Throughout May, Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS) is spotlighting the breadth of resources available to residents researching local or family history. The archive holds historic documents, maps, photographs, newspapers, parish records, and trade directories, alongside free access to family history websites. Residents can start exploring the full collection online or visit in person this month.
Foster Care Fortnight: picture books helping children understand adoption and fostering
Waltham Cross Library is highlighting a specially curated list of picture books this Foster Care Fortnight (11 to 24 May) to help young children understand what it means to be adopted or fostered. The booklist is aimed at making sensitive conversations easier for families, carers, and educators. The full list is available on the Hertfordshire Libraries website.
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Broxbourne's council website just got a major upgrade, and it speaks 70 languages
Broxbourne Borough Council has become only the third council in England to launch Jadu's AgentEx: Search, an AI-powered tool that replaces both the existing search bar and the council's chatbot with something considerably more capable. Residents can now type a question or even a single keyword and receive a direct summary or be pointed to the right page, including handoffs to Hertfordshire County Council where a query falls outside Broxbourne's remit. The tool handles queries in 70 languages, uses no personal data, and draws only from publicly available council content. Chief Executive Jeff Stack said the upgrade would fundamentally change how residents connect with the services they rely on.
Festival stall spaces still available for two major Broxbourne summer events
Broxbourne Borough Council is looking for stallholders to join the Broxbourne Big Green Fest at Cedars Park on 7 June and the Midsummer Festival Gala Day in Hoddesdon Town Centre on 28 June. Interested traders should contact the council's town centres team directly to reserve a spot before places fill. Email [email protected] to book.
Rye Meads Nature Reserve faces closure by end of 2025, residents urged to act
The RSPB is considering closing Rye Meads Nature Reserve in Hertfordshire before the end of the year, a move that would end public access to one of the area's most valued natural spaces. The charity has indicated it will seek a partner organisation to take over day-to-day management, but no obvious candidate has come forward. Residents who want to see the reserve kept open, who have ideas for its future, or who want to explore what can be done are urged to get in touch with the Broxtown team immediately, this needs a community conversation before it quietly slips away.
📅 UPCOMING EVENTS
Hertfordshire Fostering & Adoption, HELP Campaign Visit
📍 Hoddesdon Market, Hoddesdon
🗓 Friday 15 May 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 4:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
👉 Learn more: https://ow.ly/uIl750YWtVG
Waltham Cross Cycle Hub Grand Opening
📍 Waltham Cross Playing Fields, Station Approach, EN8 7LX
🗓 Saturday 16 May 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 12:00pm
🎟 Free, Booking Required
Christ Church Waltham Cross Spring Fayre
📍 Trinity Lane (opposite Theobalds Grove Station), Waltham Cross
🗓 Saturday 16 May 2026
⏰ 10:30am – 2:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
ℹ Plants, BBQ, Pimm’s, raffle, tombola, toys, cakes, and bouncy castle
Coffee & Chat for Those Affected by Baby Loss, The James Foundation
📍 Cedars Park Meeting Room, Broxbourne
🗓 Sunday 17 May 2026
⏰ 9:30am – 10:30am
🎟 Free Entry
ℹ Open to everyone, whether your loss was recent or many years ago
👉 www.thejamesfoundation.co.uk
Newspapers Through the Ages, Hoddesdon Library
📍 Hoddesdon Library, Hoddesdon
🗓 Thursday 14 May 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 12:00pm
🎟 Free Drop-In
Free Outdoor Cinema
📍 Queen Eleanor Square, Waltham Cross
🗓 Tuesday 26 May 2026
🎬 11:00am, Zootropolis 2
🎬 1:00pm, The SpongeBob Movie
🎬 3:00pm, Wicked: For Good (Sing-Along)
🎟 Free Entry, No Booking Required
Elmer Storytime & Craft Session
📍 Goffs Oak Community Library, Goffs Oak
🗓 Tuesday 26 May 2026
⏰ 10:30am – 12:00pm
🎟 Free, Limited Spaces
👉 Book at the library front desk
Medical Detection Dogs Talk
📍 Goffs Oak Community Library, Goffs Oak
🗓 Tuesday 26 May 2026
⏰ 7:00pm
💷 £1 Ticket
👉 Book at the library
Lego Fun Build
📍 Goffs Oak Community Library, Goffs Oak
🗓 Thursday 28 May 2026
⏰ 1:30pm – 3:00pm
🎟 Free, Limited Spaces
👉 Book at the library front desk
🐟 FISHY DELISHY | Cheshunt
The sun is out. The balcony doors are open. There is only one place to be.
Fishy Delishy is Cheshunt's home of fresh, sustainable food locally loved, responsibly sourced, and best enjoyed with the warm air coming in and nowhere else to be.
Whether it is a long lunch or a leisurely dinner, this is Broxbourne's answer to eating well without the guilt. Fresh fish, honest cooking, good people.
Healthy eating. Sustainable choices. Right on your doorstep.
👉 Find us in Cheshunt — https://fishydelishy.com
Rainbow Baby and Parent Walk and Talk
📍 Cedars Park, Broxbourne
🗓 Sunday 31 May 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 12:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
ℹ All parents and rainbow babies welcome
Cheshunt Fire Station Open Day
📍 Cheshunt Fire Station, Cheshunt
🗓 Saturday 6 June 2026
⏰ 12:00pm – 3:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
👉 Learn more: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/fire
Broxbourne Big Green Fest
📍 Cedars Park, Broxbourne
🗓 Sunday 7 June 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 5:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
ℹ Includes Swap Shop
👉 Stallholder enquiries: [email protected]
Goffs Oak Summer Fayre
📍 Valley View, Goffs Lane, Goffs Oak, EN7 5ET
🗓 Saturday 13 June 2026
⏰ 12:00pm – 5:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
Goffs Oak Community Dog Show
📍 Valley View, Goffs Lane, Goffs Oak, EN7 5ET
🗓 Saturday 13 June 2026
⏰ 1:00pm – 3:00pm
🎟 Free Entry
Fun Dog Show, Barclay Park
📍 Barclay Park, Hoddesdon
🗓 Sunday 14 June 2026
⏰ Registration from 10:00am
⏰ Categories from 10:30am
⏰ Best in Show at 2:00pm
💷 £2 Per Dog, Per Category
👉 [email protected]
👉 Facebook: Friends of Barclay Park, Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon Library Summer Quiz Night
📍 Hoddesdon Library, Hoddesdon
🗓 Friday 19 June 2026
⏰ 7:00pm
🎟 Free, Booking Required
Midsummer Festival Gala Day
📍 Hoddesdon Town Centre, Hoddesdon
🗓 Sunday 28 June 2026
🎟 Free Entry
👉 Stallholder enquiries: [email protected]
PICTURE Of The Week
Residents Voted Conservative despite…Reform UK advances
HEALTH & WELLBEING TIPS
💚 HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK
Loneliness is a health risk. Community is the antidote.
Research consistently links social isolation to higher rates of depression, cognitive decline, and even heart disease. But belonging does not require grand gestures. A weekly market visit, a library drop-in, a familiar face at a local event - these small, repeated connections are what build the feeling of being part of something.
Broxbourne has no shortage of places to show up. Show up.
Sponsored by Our Resident Doctor.
🎨 TUESDAY MOTIVATION
The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.
— Ernest Hemingway
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
— Walt Disney
courtesy: Ray Lowe
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Borough of Broxbourne | Broxbourne & East Herts Shared Planning Lawyer Up to £68,506 p.a. | Permanent | 37hrs | Closes 17 May 2026 Apply Now →
Borough of Broxbourne | Broxbourne & East Herts Shared Litigation Lawyer Up to £58,451.12 p.a. | Permanent | 37hrs | Closes 31 May 2026 Apply Now →
Borough of Broxbourne | Bishops College, Cheshunt Housing Policy and Performance Manager £43,540.12 p.a. | Permanent | 37hrs | Closes 24 May 2026 Apply Now →
Borough of Broxbourne | Laura Trott & John Warner Sports Centres Operations Manager £34,840.00 p.a. | Permanent | 40hrs | Closes 17 May 2026 Apply Now →
Borough of Broxbourne | The Spotlight, Hoddesdon Box Office Customer Service Assistant £13,291.20 p.a. | Permanent | 20hrs | Evenings & weekends | Closes 24 May 2026 Apply Now →
Borough of Broxbourne | Bishops College, Cheshunt Mobile Locality Officer From £32,227 p.a. | Permanent | 37hrs | Closes 13 May 2026 — apply soon Apply Now →
THIS WEEK'S WEATHER 🌦 BROXBOURNE
BROXBOURNE
Tuesday 12 May 16°C 🌡️ 8°C | ⛅ Sunny intervals, light breeze | ☀️ Sunrise 05:10 | Sunset 20:42
Wednesday 13 May 17°C 🌡️ 9°C | 🌦️ Cloudy, scattered light showers at times | ☀️ Sunrise 05:08 | Sunset 20:44
Thursday 14 May 15°C 🌡️ 8°C | ☁️ Mostly cloudy, occasional drizzle possible | ☀️ Sunrise 05:06 | Sunset 20:45
Friday 15 May 14°C 🌡️ 7°C | 🌥️ Cloudy with some bright spells, low chance of showers | ☀️ Sunrise 05:05 | Sunset 20:47
Saturday 16 May 15°C 🌡️ 7°C | 🌦️ Light rain showers, gentle breeze | ☀️ Sunrise 05:03 | Sunset 20:48
Source: Met Office, BBC Weather, and other local forecast providers — updated 12 May 2026
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Wishing you a fantastic rest of your day!
Cheers,
Editor-in-chief | Emeka Ogbonnaya
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