Jan Maddern

16/07/2026

At last the decision is made.

Questions and comments are flying already - here's my two penneth...

1. It was a government decision, NOT a choice for councils. We were given a fait accompli that LGR was happening; councils were asked how we would prefer the county to be divided, rather than whether they wanted to be divided.

2. In my opinion this was the only acceptable option. With 10,500 new homes planned on the east and north east side of Hemel (Hemel Garden Communities), split between DBC and STADC councils' area, IMHO we HAD to be joined. That ruled out the 3 unitary option, placing us with Watford and Three Rivers. The other option was for the whole county to be divided in two, which I felt was WAYYYYY too big for the personal and local knowledge needed for things like housing, planning etc.

3. The name North West Hertfordshire was the name put in the original document last year. I sit on the LGR working group and have since very strongly objected to this name - we are WEST Hertfordshire. Thankfully the two council leaders listened and have agreed that it should be called West Hertfordshire when it actually happens.

Dacorum will become part of the new North West Hertfordshire Council following the government’s announcement on the future of Hertfordshire’s councils as part of its Local Government Reorganisation programme.

From April 2028, the existing 11 county, district and borough councils across Hertfordshire will be replaced by four unitary authorities.

Nothing is changing for now; the services we deliver will continue as normal. Behind the scenes, we will be working closely with the other Hertfordshire councils to lay the groundwork for the new authorities. We will share further updates over the coming weeks and months as more details are confirmed.

Find out more about the government’s preferred option and the timeline for the reorganisation programme by visiting https://orlo.uk/6HWIE

09/06/2026

We're on the home straight for the by-election on Thursday...

I'm heading out to deliver leaflets for Eric, please give me a call (or message me) if you have some free time this evening or tomorrow to lend a hand!

We're almost there with campaigning, then we have to wait and see what people do on the day!

07/06/2026

𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚? 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵!

I'd like to share with you the truth about tactical voting. I'm keeping this non party political, just telling a true story here. Not heresay, I had first hand evidence at the time. Another long post (sorry), but if you're not interested then feel free to scroll on by!

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻), 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 - 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆...

I've heard that there are people who would normally vote for X and they are voting this time for Y to keep Z out (substitute ANY parties for X,Y and Z, this is not targeting any particular party, but it is being spoken about around the area). Be very careful what you wish for. Here is what happened in the county council elections in Hemel in 2009 (my first ever election, but not my seat), with the relevant screenshots from Wikipedia to demonstrate...

In 2005, as you can see, St Paul's Division (Highfield and Adeyfield West), was won by Labour, with a very strong majority. However, in 2009, it was won by the Liberal Democrats with a majority of just 37.

It was my first venture into politics and it's commonly known that at that election I stood as a Conservative in what was believed to be an 'unwinnable' seat (which I won with a majority of 1013). I got to know the very young Conservative candidate (I think he was only 19 at the time), Dan Wood, who canvassed every day of the week for 5 months before the election. He'd also been told the seat was unwinnable, based on the 2005 numbers, but with a week to go it was looking so close Dan believed he could win.

Canvassing - for anyone who doesn't know - has one purpose, and that is to find out where your voters are. The parties make a note of what they've been told on the doorstep so they can use that information as they see fit.

Two days before the election date the Lib Dems wrote a personalised letter to every person that had told them on the doorstep they were voting Tory, asking them to 'lend them their vote' to get Labour out, telling the recipients that the 'Conservatives can't win here'. I saw the letter myself (and the Lib Dems at the time confirmed they had sent it). Over the following months I spoke to probably 20 people from that area who had received the letter, and actually did what was suggested, because people believe what they are told (and possibly what the Lib Dems believed at the time, although looking at the result their canvassing was skew if that was the case!).

Now, back in those days I probably only knew 30 or so peopke who lived in St Pauls area, so if 20 of them told me that, how many of the thousands more voters had been persuaded to do the same. More to the point, if the 20 people (must have been Tory or wouldn't have had the letter) who told me they had 'loaned their vote' to Lib Dems had stuck with who they had planned to vote for, they would have had their first choice candidate, as it only needed 19 people to have voted the other way to make a difference!

I'm not saying that the result was just or unjust, I have since worked with Ron for many, many years and have always respected him, just that this is how it happened.

𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙉𝙊𝙏 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙜𝙤 𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙉𝙔 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮, 𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡.

06/06/2026

I feel the need to speak out about something.

Sorry for the long post but I’m really struggling with the negativity of recent weeks…

As many will know (and lots won’t care) there is a by-election on Thursday, in Apsley Corner Hall ward due to a councillor resignation.

By-elections are funny things; the political parties, who sometimes struggle for enough campaigners to cover the entire borough / constituency for the regular elections, pour all their campaigners into a small space and the silliness starts.

This has been no exception, with everyone grabbing every opportunity to stake their claim for people’s votes, claiming credit for things others did and stretching the truth as far as possible to try and score points. It’s been cringeworthy to watch.

I heard a rumour the other day… apparently someone has been telling people I’ve been campaigning and leafleting for Reform. I’m beside myself over this, because it couldn’t be further from the truth! I’d like to think it was because I’m well known locally (a badge I’ve earned) so they think it may gain votes, but I think it’s more about people just being ridiculous.

I left party politics over 9 years ago and would NEVER campaign for any political party, but Reform is the party furthest from where I would align myself. Party political mischief makers have been at it again… Labour supporters claiming I always vote with the Tories, they clearly haven’t watched council meetings. In the 2019 and 2021 elections I was libelled on social media by Tory campaigners. How dare people spread absolute lies about me! I joined forces to form an official group at county council with a lone Green Party member in 2021. The only reason we’re not still joined is that he now has a team of Greens so our group had to stop, but I sit with them at full council.

I’d like to clarify my position, in case of any misunderstandings…

I believe that LOCAL councillors should be LOCAL people (living in the area they represent), who primarily want to support LOCAL issues. Of the 6 candidates AT LEAST HALF don’t even live in the ward. Only one hasn’t been trying to score party political points over the others, Eric has focussed on local issues that he’ll work on should he be elected, with my support. He won’t have his tongue cut out by a party whip, and will be free to speak out just as I do.

I believe that it would be brilliant to have one Apsley Corner Hall councillor living in the ward they represent, there aren’t any at present.

So before you visit the polling station on Thursday think about what you really want. As long as people vote with an informed view that’s great, but to be very clear, I’m supporting Eric Johnson for Apsley and Corner Hall!

09/03/2026

I received an email from a local resident, asking me to join the Big Plastic Count... the timing is incredible, I was talking with Simon about the amount of plastic we throw away just yesterday!
Please follow this link and find out more - is anyone joining me?

The UK’s biggest people-powered investigation into household plastic waste.

22/02/2026

It was lovely to be able to support our fabulous Mayor, Councillor Catherine McArevey today as she took on her penultimate day of a 10-day, 100km walk around Dacorum.

Cathy is raising money for the Mayor’s Future Fund, which supports small charitable organisations across the borough.

I joined her and today’s team at The Waterways Experience where we were able to look around the boats and learn more about the great work they do, then we walked to Bunkers Lane via Nash Mills Wharf, where I explained to the team about the history of Nash House and the war memorial.

Sadly I’m still recovering from several medical procedures and was unable to climb the long and continuous hill all the way through Long Deans and Bunkers Park, but I was with them in spirit!

Keep going Cathy, almost there! ❤️

18/02/2026

Our fabulous Mayor is walking 100kms around Dacorum for charity, and on the way she's raising as much money as she can for the Mayor's Future Fund. This is a charitable pot of money that local charities and good causes can apply to if they need support.

Tomorrow (19th Feb) she will be at Fuzzy's Farm, meeting the alpacas, and is inviting you to join her. Tickets are £10 for adults and £2.50 for children, and all proceeds will go to the Mayor's Future Fund.

Mayor Councillor Catherine McArevey is having the most incredible year and is really making a difference. From organising a meeting of over 100 people in the Houses of Parliament to discuss wellbeing in Dacorum last summer, she literally hasn't stopped. Whilst the Mayor's role is essentially ceremonial, Cathy was determined to make a difference, and she has spent her time promoting local good causes, connecting people and raising funds for our voluntary and charitable sector.

If you would like to come and meet the alpacas, see below for details of how to book tickets.

Hats off to you Cathy, you are an inspiration!

23/01/2026

What a guy.

I usually keep as far away from the national/international news as possible, because as an Independent councillor I get sick to death of listening to the political parties squabbling like 6 year olds, but the current situation is very dangerous and I am as worried as everyone else.

How one deluded fool can try and rule the entire world is beyond me, but this awesome man has given me so much to think about. This could be one of the greatest speeches in history. I watched every moment, and then watched the Q&A afterwards.

If you haven't seen it, watch it here (to the end), pay attention and thank the universe that he is on our planet!

A special address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada.Speakers: Mark Carney, Laurence D. Fink, Gideon RachmanThe 56th Annual Meeting of the World Econom...