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 Hertfordshire will be split into four unitary authorities as set out below:
- 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)
- East Hertfordshire and Broxbourne - 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 will 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.
For further information visit Hertfordshire's dedicated LGR website: www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk.
Story so far...
In December 2024, the Government published the English Devolution White Paper, which sets out plans to devolve more powers to local areas and to simplify local government in England through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
Local Government Reorganisation
In Hertfordshire, there are currently two types of council:
- District and borough councils, which provide services such as housing, planning, bin collections, car parks and leisure services.
- The county council, which is responsible for schools, libraries, roads, caring for children and supporting adults who need help with daily living.
Under the Government’s plan, these councils will be replaced by new unitary councils that will deliver all services currently provided by the two separate types of council.
All councils in Hertfordshire are working together to explore what this would look like. The aim is to create a system of local government that is easy to understand, delivers good value for money and responds to the needs of local areas.
Timeline
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 5 February 2025 | Statutory invitation received from government to submit unitary proposals |
| 21 March 2025 | Submit interim Local Government Reorganisation proposal |
| 1 May 2025 | Hertfordshire County Council Elections |
| July - end September 2025 | Stakeholder and Public Engagement |
| 19 November 2025 | Hertsmere Borough Council local decision - Council and Cabinet |
| 28 November 2025 | Submit full Local Government Reorganisation proposal |
| Spring 2026 | Formal government consultation on proposals |
| 16 July 2026 | Government decision announced |
| May 2027 | Elections to Shadow authorities - the new unitary councils prior to them formally taking on all responsibilities. |
| April 2028 | Vesting day for new unitary councils |
Devolution
Devolution aims to give more power to local authorities so that they can make decisions that affect their communities. In Hertfordshire, interest has been expressed in becoming a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA).
A letter has been written to Steve Reed OBE, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, dated 4 November 2025, from the Leader of the County Council with the support of the Hertfordshire Growth Board, comprising the leaders of all eleven local authorities, business, academia, health and Hertfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner. The letter formally expresses Hertfordshire's ambition to progress towards the establishment of an MSA as soon as possible, aligning this transition with the LGR programme and its associated timelines.
Useful links
English Devolution White Paper:
The English Devolution White Paper sets out the Government’s agenda to increase and expand devolution across all parts of England.
Local Government Association (LGA) Devolution Hub:
Visit the LGA Devolution Hub to find further information and resources. This includes a list of regularly updated devolution and local government reorganisation FAQs. You can find updates on the current devolution framework and devolution deals agreed between Government and local areas.
Letter from Jim McMahon OBE. Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution:
The letter to all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitary authorities, dated 16 December 2024 sets out the Government’s process and milestones.
Feedback on Hertfordshire's Interim Submission:
Feedback report from Government on Hertfordshire's Interim Submission