Leaders vote on new unitary model for Hertfordshire

During a non-binding vote at a meeting last week, Cllr Symington and other senior members of the council’s Liberal Democrat minority administration backed plans to divide Hertfordshire into two unitary authorities.

But they were outvoted by the rest of the council, with the Conservative and Labour groups supporting proposals to split Hertfordshire into four unitary authorities instead.

A final decision on which option would be formally backed by the council was taken by the Liberal Democrat cabinet on Tuesday where Cllr Symington agreed to align with the view of the council as a whole.

It contrasts with the decision taken at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council earlier this week, where the four-unitary option was formally backed by the council’s cabinet despite the council as a whole preferring the three-unitary model.

The Government-led reorganisation of local government is set to see Hertfordshire’s county, district and borough councils abolished, with new unitary authorities created instead. The new authorities will take over all county, district and borough council responsibilities within the area they cover.

It means that services previously divided between the two tiers of local government will be placed under the control of a single authority.

In Hertfordshire, a joint submission from all 11 councils will be put forward to the Government later this month, with each council supporting one of three options – for the county to be divided into two, three or four unitary authorities.

The two-unitary option would combine Dacorum with Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers and Watford, while the four-unitary model would join Dacorum with St Albans into a North West Hertfordshire authority.

The Government will make the final decision on which model to introduce.

Cllr Symington said: “We have listened to the will of the council and supported the indicative vote of the majority of Dacorum Borough Council’s members.”

She added that she and other group leaders at Dacorum would write to the Government to ask that, if the three-unitary model joining Dacorum with Three Rivers and Watford is selected, the boundaries be changed to ensure that all of Hemel Garden Community would be located within the new authority.

Cllr Symington continued: “The Liberal Democrats did not seek this reorganisation. There are benefits to unitary authorities, and I am assured that all those who have gone through the process already would not wish to reverse it.

“A unitary authority will provide a one-stop council for residents, and a rethinking of the delivery of services to improve outcomes, such as the integration of housing with social care. I appreciate that views differ on the best outcome for residents.

“Nevertheless, we must all work together for the benefit of our residents, and the ongoing improvement of the delivery of services in Dacorum remains our priority.”