Hertfordshire councillors rule out changing local government into unitary authority

Leaders from Hertfordshire’s 11 councils have agreed that a unitary authority covering the entire county would not work.

It is believed that the 1,200,000 people living in Hertfordshire would not be best served by one central council and that it would offer too ‘remote’ a service for the county’s various diverse communities.

Discussions will continue after today’s announcement as council officials will submit alternative ways Hertfordshire could split into different authorities.

All two-tier areas in England were told to submit an interim plan for moving to a single tier of unitary councils providing all services after Labour came to power. In Hertfordshire, leaders have proposed several options ranging from one to four unitary councils.

After the Conservatives lost control of Hertfordshire County Council at last month’s election, the new central administration running the authority has ruled out a single unitary authority system.

Final proposals on how Hertfordshire should be governed must be submitted to Parliament by November 28. Hertfordshire County Council has revealed that £378,077 has been provided by the Central Government to help fund the project.

Dacorum Borough Council leader, Councillor Sally Symington, said: “I welcome the joint decision of the Leaders in Hertfordshire to remove the ‘one unitary’ option and our agreement to focus the limited time and resources on the options that will deliver the best outcomes for our residents whilst maintaining strong connections with our communities. I look forward to progressing the proposals for local government reform in collaboration with members, stakeholders and businesses across Dacorum.”