Dacorum Borough Council has responded to news that it will be replaced by a new larger authority.

The Government confirmed today that Hertfordshire will be governed by four unitary authorities.

This local government shake-up will see residents in Dacorum served by a new North West Hertfordshire Council. It will also be the controlling authority for residents currently living in the St Albans City and District Council area.

Today’s changes - confirmed by the Housing, Communities and Local Government department - are subject to parliamentary approval.

Cllr Sally Symington is the leader of Dacorum Borough Council. Credit: Dacorum Borough Council.

placeholder image — Cllr Sally Symington is the leader of Dacorum Borough Council. Credit: Dacorum Borough Council.

If confirmed the new council will officially launch on April 1, 2028. The existing county, district, and borough councils will be scrapped to make way for the below unitary authorities:

-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.

Dacorum Borough Council leader, Councillor Sally Symington, said: "This is a landmark day for Dacorum and for Hertfordshire.

“We have got the outcome that our council supported and we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign local government - making it simpler, more accountable, and fit for the future.

“My priority has been and remains to ensure that we deliver better, more sustainable services for our residents in the long term.

“We won’t waste a moment in getting this right. Between now and April 2028, we will build a council that is ready from day one—maintaining high-quality services, supporting residents and businesses, and keeping strong local representation at its core.”

The Government said that the four unitary council model reflects Hertfordshire’s distinct economic areas. Hertfordshire council groups will look to appoint a Strategic Mayoral Authority and an elected Mayor for the region.

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, the borough council advises.

Elections to the new authorities will take place in May 2027. These elected councillors will help set up the new councils before their launch in April 2028.