The Leaders of Hertfordshire’s 11 councils have agreed to rule out the option of a single unitary authority for the county as part of ongoing discussions on local government reform proposals.
In response to the Government’s invitation to councils in all two-tier areas to submit an interim plan for moving to a single tier of unitary councils providing all services, Hertfordshire’s interim submission outlined a number of options for further consideration ranging from one to four unitary councils.
Following the election of a new County Council administration in May, there will be no further work to develop the business case for one unitary council covering the whole of Hertfordshire. This reflects a shared view that a single unitary council covering Hertfordshire’s 1.2million residents would be too remote from the county’s diverse communities.
Leaders’ shared priorities remain ensuring any changes benefit residents and businesses, excellent local government services are maintained, residents are kept safe, and strong democratic accountability is available to communities across the county. They will continue to explore the evidence and refine the options to be considered ahead of submitting final proposals to the Government by 28 November for Ministers to consider.
Councils will also continue to prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to people and communities during this period of transformation.
A team of officers drawn from the County Council and all 10 District & Borough Councils has been established to develop the options and make recommendations for Leaders to consider. Key considerations will include ensuring value for money in any new structures; the need to understand the impact of any changes to key services like social care and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND); how proposals support future devolution; and making sure communities continue to have a strong say in local decisions. The Government will provide £378,077 funding to support this project.
The views of residents, businesses, local government partners, colleagues, and other stakeholders across the public and private sectors will be essential as proposals develop and significant engagement will take place over the coming months.
Cllr Jeremy Newmark, Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, said: “I am pleased that the new leadership of the County Council has rejected the previous administration’s preferred option for a single countywide mega-council. This is the right decision. From the outset I was clear that this would sever the link between local government and local people. I raised deep concerns, on behalf of our residents, that the scale of change would have had a serious adverse impact on local connectivity and services.
“Our priority remains to focus upon using our influence to ensure that changes benefit Hertsmere's residents and businesses whilst maintaining services and local accountability. We are working collaboratively with the other councils across the county to assess the viable options for two, three or four unitary authorities in Hertfordshire.
“I also want to reiterate our commitment to engage with our residents, businesses, community and faith groups and other stakeholders over the coming months, a process we have already started."
