North Herts Council respond to local government reform letter

Like all councils in two-tier areas, we have now received our statutory invitation from the Government to submit proposals for the reorganisation of local government structures in Hertfordshire.

The letter sets out the criteria to be considered and the timescale including initial plans to be submitted in March and full proposals later this year.

In response to the letter, Cllr Daniel Allen, Leader of North Herts Council said: "Our priority remains to ensure that any changes genuinely benefit North Herts residents and businesses and to fully explore the impact they may have on localised decision-making and the provision of local services.

"There are currently differing views on the best model for local government in Hertfordshire, but we are committed to working together to determine how we can best achieve this goal.

“What is clear, however, is that Hertfordshire is simply too big to be run by a single unitary council and therefore we do not support this approach. With a population of 1.2 million and growing, Hertfordshire would be much larger than any local authority in the UK, creating an oversized bureaucracy that could slow down decision-making and make services less responsive to the needs of our diverse communities.

"Local issues require local solutions, and one giant council would risk losing the valuable, local connection we have between our residents and the services they rely on us to provide.

“All 11 councils, along with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, are collaborating to assess the options. However, with no agreed proposals, Hertfordshire will not be included in the first phase of reforms. Given the financial and staffing challenges councils already face, it is essential to balance the delivery of vital services with any future governance changes.

“This process is still at an early stage, and we will keep residents, businesses, our partners, colleagues and other stakeholders updated as discussions progress.”