What's next after local elections and what does 'full control' mean for Lib Dems in Dacorum

The local elections are over with results declared in 230 councils throughout England.

In Hertfordshire, there have been big changes in some boroughs and districts, which means political party groups are in the process of deciding who will sit on local council cabinets.

At three Hertfordshire district and borough councils, the local elections 2023 changed nothing.

Out of the 10 seats up for election in Broxbourne, the Conservatives took nine seats and the Labour Party took one in Waltham Cross – a repeat of every single Broxbourne election result since 2015.

On the council, which elects one third of its councillors each time, this leaves the Conservative Party in power with 27 seats, and Labour in opposition with three.

In Stevenage, the Labour Party is still in charge at the borough council with 24 councillors, against nine Conservatives and six Liberal Democrats.

Watford Borough Council is controlled by 27 Liberal Democrat councillors, with nine Labour members in opposition.

The vote on Thursday, May 4 changed very little in St Albans and Three Rivers – where the Liberal Democrats have majorities, dented slightly by Green victories in both districts.

All change in Dacorum

In Dacorum, a shakeup has left the Liberal Democrats in control at The Forum, Hemel Hempstead.

The party gained nine seats, taking their total to 28 and leaving them with an overall majority on the borough council.

The Conservatives now have 18 seats on the authority, leaving them the largest party in opposition.

The Labour Party has three seats on the council from a standing start, after Labour councillors lost all their seats in Dacorum at the last election in 2019.

Independent councillors won two seats on the authority.

What does ‘No Overall Control’ mean?

The picture gets a little more complicated in North Hertfordshire, where no party has had a majority since 2019, and Labour and the Liberal Democrats have governed as a coalition.

After voting, the Conservatives lost five seats in North Hertfordshire and the Liberal Democrats gained three, which means these parties have 15 seats each.

The Labour Party has 19 seats in total.

Any of the three parties could form a new coalition, if they wanted, but no party reached the 50 per cent-plus-one-seat majority of 26, and the authority remains under No Overall Control (NOC).

The state of play is similar elsewhere.

The Green Party is now the largest in East Hertfordshire, but the party group does not have enough seats to form a majority.

Conservative losses in Hertsmere and Welwyn Hatfield means that although the party has the largest presence on both borough councils, it too is short of enough seats to make a majority.

Exactly what will happen will need to be negotiated among party leaders.

The Local Government Information Unit explains: “Some councils have a minority administration often because one party has half or close to half of the seats and they are the largest party.

“In other places coalitions are formed where the political flavour is a little more evenly distributed.

“In some councils, the largest political party is unable to form a minority administration because a coalition of smaller parties has banded together.

“In practice, NOC councils can work really well and help politicians come together around local issues without spending too much time on party political issues.

“In other NOC councils, there is constant political jostling.”

When is the next general election?

The next general election is due in January 2025.

By that time, five years will have passed since the current Parliament first met – on December 17, 2019 – plus the time it takes to run an election campaign.

All 650 Members of Parliament will be up for election.

Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, can choose to call a general election early.

When is the next local election?

Voters in Hertfordshire might see headlines about more local elections this May.

Seats across Northern Ireland’s 11 council areas will be contested on Thursday, May 18.

Closer to home, the next local elections in Hertfordshire are due to be held in 2024.

Broxbourne, St Albans, Stevenage, Three Rivers, Watford and Welwyn Hatfield – which usually elect one third of their councillors at their elections – will go to the polls.

North Hertfordshire will also go to the polls.

The authority has previously elected councillors “by thirds”, but will begin electing all their councillors in one go every four years, starting in 2024.

The next borough and district council elections in Dacorum, East Hertfordshire and Hertsmere are due in 2027.

When is the next county council election?

All 78 Hertfordshire county councillors are up for election in 2025.

Is voter registration still open?

Voter registration is open all year.

Anybody who has moved house or changed their personal details, such as their names, can re-register at any time: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

ENDS

1. The Local Government Information Unit on No Overall Control is: https://lgiu.org/who-runs-the-councils-in-no-overall-control/