Once again this month's Journal will be online only - we continue to monitor the Covid situation in line with the Government's advice and hope to get back to a printed version as soon as is possible. I hope that as many of you as possible were able to access last month's online edition and didn't miss real page-turning too much.

The new cemetery sited near the top of The Causeway is now completed. The official 'ribbon-cutting ceremony' is planned to take place on the 30th April, but the cemetery will be open for new interments or cremations before that date. Jill Jones at The Manor House will be available for any enquiries.

At last some real positive news of new town infrastructure as a result of the mass house-building that has gone on in Buntingford over the past few years. Hertfordshire County Council are consulting on plans for a new First School. The school will be located at the south end of Buntingford on the east side of London Road. Part of the site was formerly used as a Sainsbury's distribution depot, and the site is also currently occupied by The Bury and Buntingford Town Football Club.

The proposal is for a new two-storey, two-form of entry (300 place) First School and 30 place nursery. The school is being planned as a pilot net zero carbon development and will be the first of its kind in Hertfordshire. It will include a wide range of sustainability measures in the design to ensure the building is highly energy efficient.

The school will occupy the site in conjunction with The Bury and Buntingford Town Football Club. At the current time it is planned that the school will be ready to open in September 2022.

A reminder that the Civic Society's 2021 A.G.M. will take place on 20th April from 7pm. Regrettably, as we are still in the middle of a pandemic, this has to be a remote meeting via Zoom. If you would like to attend the A.G.M. please send a request by email to agm2021@buntingfordcivic.org.uk, putting 'Request for AGM 2021 - Zoom link' in the subject line. You will be sent the link up to 1 week prior to the meeting.

Continue to keep safe and stay well everybody - STAY HOME, PROTECT THE NHS, SAVE LIVES. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Graham Bonner, Chairman, Buntingford Civic Society

If you have any queries about Buntingford Civic Society or issues you would like to raise, you can email the Chairman direct at chairman@buntingfordcivic.org.uk.

Printing of the Buntingford Journal has been suspended during the current lockdown but an online copy of the April issue can be found here.

More information about the Buntingford Civic Society can be found here and membership forms can be found here.