What you need to know
Does Local Government Reorganisation affect me?
These changes affect the ten district councils that exist in Hertfordshire, as well as Hertfordshire County Council.
Hertfordshire County Council
Broxbourne Borough Council
Dacorum Borough Council
East Herts District Council
Hertsmere Borough Council
North Herts District Council
St Albans City & District Council
Stevenage Borough Council
Three Rivers District Council
Watford Borough Council
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
What is the current local government arrangement in Hertfordshire?
The current local government arrangement in Hertfordshire is referred to as a two-tier system whereby Hertfordshire County Council are responsible for:
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Children’s Services – including social care and SEND services
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Adult Care Services – including services for older and disabled people
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Growth and Environment - including highways and waste disposal
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Public Health
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Community Protection – including Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue and Trading Standards
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Libraries
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Registration Services (births, deaths and marriages)
The ten district councils are responsible for:
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Council Tax – registering, paying and payment enquiries
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Planning – new houses, extensions and shops
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Housing and homelessness
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Parking fines, permits and car parks
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Bin collections and replacements
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Licensing
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Pest control
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Environmental health
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Leisure services
This is called a two-tier system.
What is Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)?
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is about rethinking how councils work together to deliver services to their communities. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a system that is better connected to local communities, more financially sustainable and designed to meet future challenges.
Instead of continuing with the current two-tier structure (Herts County Council + District/Borough Councils) – we are exploring alternative models that could improve service delivery and accountability.
Why is it happening?
In December 2024, the Government published the Devolution White Paper, which asks local authorities across England to:
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Develop proposals for establishing a Strategic Authority
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Consider reorganisation in areas with two tiers of local government
The aim is to improve financial resilience and value for money, while enabling councils to be more responsive to the communities they serve.
In Hertfordshire, all 11 councils - along with the Police and Crime Commissioner are working together to explore models that are locally focused, efficient and future-proofed. A single council for the county has already been discounted by all councils. The rationale for this was that scale (a population of 1.2million) and distance from community decision-making make it untenable.
Why is it important?
These changes will affect local people and services for decades to come, it’s really important that there is proper consideration of the options and meaningful engagement with residents, key community organisations, businesses and public sector partners.
When will LGR happen in Hertfordshire?
The process is already underway. Here's the provisional timeline:
Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
December 2024 | Government publishes Devolution White Paper |
February 2025 | Councils receive ministerial invitation to propose change |
Early/Mid 2025 | Appraisal of options, community engagement and collaboration across Hertfordshire |
November 2025 | Hertfordshire councils submit proposal to Government |
Spring 2026 | Formal government consultation on proposals |
Summer 2026 | Government review and provide decision |
May 2027 | Elections to new unitary authorities |
2028 | Vesting Day - official date when a new unitary council takes over all the powers and responsibilities of the previous authorities, becoming operational as a single, unified entity |
Who is leading the change?
This is a joint effort led by:
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All District and Borough Councils in Hertfordshire
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Hertfordshire County Council
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Police and Crime Commissioner
Together, these bodies have commissioned an options appraisal and are aligning their plans to both the Government's criteria and the needs of local communities. Discussions with neighbouring areas are also underway for cross-border alignment on matters such as transport and infrastructure.
How does it affect me?
LGR will shape how your services are delivered - from bins and planning to libraries and social care. The objectives are:
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Simplified council structures
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More consistent service access
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Greater transparency in decision-making
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A stronger local voice in how councils operate
The goal is to keep what works well in Hertfordshire and improve the things that could be better and for this to be delivered by councils that are closer to communities and better equipped to plan for the future.
How will the changes be managed?
All of the 11 councils in Hertfordshire understand the importance of these changes to their residents and are working collaboratively on the proposal that will be sent to the Government for consideration in November 2025.
There is a programme of communication and engagement activity underway, and we will continue to update this website with the latest information, news and important dates.
We are united in the need that we need to hear from as many people, business and organisations in our local communities, so the programme is guided by four principles:
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Transparency - Open and honest updates
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Consistency - Clear messaging across all councils
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Inclusion - Hearing from all voices, especially underrepresented groups
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Accessibility - Using plain language and multiple formats to reach everyone
How do I have my say?
Your input is vital to getting this right. We’ve launched an engagement survey that is available for every resident, business and community organisation in Hertfordshire.
Take the survey and share what matters most to you.
Strategic principles for engagement
This programme is guided by four strategic principles:
Transparency
Open sharing of process, timelines, and constraints
Consistency
Unified messaging across all councils and channels
Inclusion
Hearing from all groups, especially underrepresented voices
Accessibility
Using plain language and multiple formats to maximise reach
Contact us
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