Government announces four unitary authorities in Hertfordshire
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- 4 min read
Today (16 July 2026) the Government announced its decision on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Hertfordshire, confirming it will create four new unitary councils, subject to parliamentary approval.
This means that from 1 April 2028 new authorities will take over responsibility for delivering the services currently provided by the county council and the district and borough councils in that area.
The new unitary authorities will be:
North West Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing Dacorum Borough Council and St Albans City & District Council
South West Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing Hertsmere Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council
Central Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing North Herts Council (minus five district council wards), Stevenage Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (minus the Northaw & Cuffley borough council ward)
Eastern Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing Broxbourne Borough Council and East Herts District Council, plus the Northaw & Cuffley borough council ward from the existing Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council area and Royston Heath, Royston Palace, Royston Meridian, Ermine, Weston and Sandon district council wards from North Herts Council.
Outlining the reasons behind its decision, the Government said that the four unitary council model reflects Hertfordshire’s distinct economic areas, the connection to local communities, a tailored approach to services and provides a strong foundation for devolution in Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire is seeking the establishment of a Strategic Mayoral Authority with a directly elected Mayor for Hertfordshire as soon as possible to help unlock the county’s full potential. Local Government Reorganisation is an important step towards this.
The devolution of powers, funding and decision-making away from central government to a locally elected Mayor will enable better decision making about key economic drivers specifically designed around what works best for Hertfordshire.”
All councils in Hertfordshire remain committed to ensuring residents continue to receive high-quality services now and in the future.
Elections to the new authorities will take place in May 2027. These elected councillors will help set up the new councils and operate in a “shadow” capacity ahead of the new authorities being established on 1 April 2028.
Frequently asked questions
What is changing?
From April 2028, the way your local council services are organised will change. The services currently provided by the county council and district or borough councils will be brought together and delivered by one council, called a unitary authority.
On 16 July 2026 the Government announced that that Hertfordshire will be split into four unitary authorities as set out below:
· North West Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing Dacorum Borough Council and St Albans City & District Council
· South West Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing Hertsmere Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council
· Central Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing North Herts Council (minus five district council wards), Stevenage Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (minus the Northaw & Cuffley borough council ward)
· Eastern Hertfordshire - serving the communities of the existing Broxbourne Borough Council and East Herts District Council, plus the Northaw & Cuffley borough council ward from the existing Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council area and Royston Heath, Royston Palace, Royston Meridian, Ermine, Weston and Sandon district council wards from North Herts Council
Why is this changing?
The Government asked all areas with two levels of local government (county and district councils) to put forward new arrangements. These will bring all council services together under one authority, known as a unitary council.
The reorganisation aims to:
simplify how councils are structured
make access to services more consistent
improve transparency in decision‑making
strengthen the local voice
The aim is to keep what works well in Hertfordshire and improve what could work better. The new councils would be better placed to plan and deliver services for the future.
All 11 Hertfordshire councils are committed to ensuring there is no disruption to frontline services during the transition.
Why has the Government decided that four unitary councils will be created in Hertfordshire?
Following extensive review of the submitted proposals and of the public feedback from the statutory consultation, the Government believes that four unitary councils will offer the best balance between financial stability, local decision-making and robust delivery of services.
Will my council services be affected?
At the moment, nothing is changing. Hertfordshire County Council and your local district or borough council will continue to provide all services as usual until 1 April 2028. The responsibility of these services will then be transferred to the new councils.
What happens to the existing county, borough and district councils?
From 1 April 2028, Hertfordshire County Council and the 10 borough and district councils will no longer exist and will be replaced by four unitary councils.
All of their responsibilities will transfer to the new unitary councils, which will deliver all local services.
Who will be the councillors for the new councils?
Elections will take place in May 2027 to elect councillors for the new councils. These new councils will be known as ‘Shadow Authorities’.
These councillors will oversee the transition from the existing 11 councils to the four new unitary councils and will take formal responsibility for council services when the new councils go live in April 2028.
Where will my new council be based, and where will meetings be held?
This has not yet been decided.
However, councils across Hertfordshire have a shared commitment to ensure that decision making remains close to local communities.
What about my town or parish council?
Town and parish councils are not affected by Local Government Reorganisation.
They will continue to play an important role in representing communities and delivering services at a very local level.
How will changes be communicated to me?
You will be kept informed through this website and your council’s usual communication channels, including:
local media
council websites
social media
newsletters
council magazines (where printed)
Do residents have a say in this?
Local Government Reorganisation is a Government-led initiative.
All 11 Hertfordshire councils engaged with residents in September 2025 to gather views on the opportunities, risks and options for Local Government Reorganisation prior to submitting three potential options to Government in November 2025.
The Government ran a statutory public consultation on the submitted proposals from 5 February to 26 March 2026, inviting feedback.