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Where is the only town in the world where a massive range of facilities, including sporting, leisure, education and medical are either provided direct or subsidised by the major landowner?

The answer is Letchworth Garden City - the world’s first Garden City - whose quality environment has been mirrored elsewhere in the world, but whose financial structure is truly unique.

Responsible for this is Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, a rather complex organisation conceived by an Act of Parliament and in layman’s terms, the ‘guardians’ of the town.

The Heritage Foundation was set-up in 1995 as an Industrial and Provident Society with charitable status, as a successor to Letchworth Garden City Corporation, which was a public sector ’quango.’

The Foundation is closer to the community than the Corporation ever was. Up to 30 Foundation Governors, comprising local people, act as the public’s ‘sounding board’ on any aspect of the town and they elect from their numbers six of the eight Board of Management members, who ultimately make the major decisions within the Foundation.

The Heritage Foundation - town founder Ebenezer Howard’s company in modern times - is a charity with an asset base in excess of over £140m - by far and away the largest landowner, property developer and investor in the town.

Under the Act of Parliament, all the profits from the Garden City Estate, whether they are from rental income from commercial, industrial and retail customers or from the Foundation’s farming, are directed back to the town through the Foundation’s six charitable objects.

In fact, in its first 10 years, the Heritage Foundation returned to the community over £14m - equating to around £4,000 per day - by way of charitable activities. Indeed, in the last year, this figure grew to around £5,000 per day.

Heading up the Foundation on a daily basis is Stuart Kenny, the Director General, whose current priority is to spearhead the Foundation’s £60m proposals for the further regeneration of the town centre.

Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication and the statements contained herein are believed to be correct, the publishers and promoters cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies. Reproduction of any part of this publication in any format, without permission, is strictly forbidden. All photographs courtesy of North Hertfordshire District Council unless otherwise stated.