Local Government Reorganisation. Deadline 12th March

Message from Three Rivers District Council.

Local authorities are required to develop proposals for reorganisation, in areas where there are currently two tiers of local government.

This will be a once in a generation change that effects local people and services for decades to come. It is therefore important that there is proper consideration of the options and meaningful consultation with residents, key local organisations, including business, and our public sector partners.

Our priority is to ensure any changes genuinely benefit residents and businesses while safeguarding high-quality local services.

Hertfordshire’s leaders are working together to explore the best way forward, but we do not support a single unitary council. Hertfordshire is simply too big to be run by a single council. With a population of 1.2 million across urban, suburban, and rural areas, it would be much larger than any local authority in the UK, creating an oversized bureaucracy that could slow down decision-making and make services less responsive to the needs of our diverse communities. Local issues require local solutions, and one giant council would risk losing the connection between residents and the services they rely on, and maintaining these connections is our priority.

All councils in Hertfordshire, along with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, are collaborating to assess the options. However, with no agreed proposals, Hertfordshire will not be included in the first phase of reforms. Given the financial and staffing challenges councils already face, it is essential to balance the delivery of vital services with any future governance changes.

This process is still at an early stage, and we want to keep residents, businesses, and stakeholders updated as discussions progress. Any changes must be carefully considered, transparent and inclusive, ensuring that residents and businesses are fully engaged in shaping the future governance of Hertfordshire. As we consider future options, we would therefore be eager to hear your views in this initial early stage, particularly on whether Hertfordshire should have more or less local councils and your views on what this would mean for decision-making in our communities.

We are committed to ongoing consultation and involvement and we will expect to deliver more formal stages of public consultation as plans progress.

If you wish to share your initial views please send those through to us at devolutionlgr@threerivers.gov.uk by Wednesday 12 March 2025.