ENVIRONMENTAL issues are one of a number of governing factors which entrants in the Village of the Year competition will be judged upon in the coming months.

Key organiser, the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), is encouraging villages throughout Hertfordshire to enter the annual competition designed to reward the efforts of villages which take pride in the quality of its community life.

Now in its second year, the competition, which replaced the Best Kept Village awards, is sponsored by Calor Gas with local support from Hertfordshire County Council.

Each village's submission will be collated and a shortlist drawn up by a panel of judges who will visit each area making written judgements under five categories: environmental issues, business, young people, older people and community life.

Hertfordshire is divided into two regions for the purpose of the competition, East and West and the winner in each will receive £150 in addition to a village trophy.

The overall winner will then go foward to represent Hertfordshire in the Eastern and Home Counties Region of the Calor Gas/ Daily Telegraph Great Britain Village of the Year competition.

Village of the Year administrator, Mrs Jo Simson said: "Prize money for this competition has increased and it is even more worthwhile for villages to try to become our nominated village. At regional level there is the chance to win £1,000 and nationally there is £5,000 for the winner."

In addition to the normal requirements this year, for the first time, a £100 prize and a rosebowl will be awarded to the village which too small to enter all categories but performs well in more than one.