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Whilst this is obviously very early in the process and our views could change as proposals develop and more information becomes available, I have discussed this matter with Joint Residents’ Association . This is the outline of my initial views. The views below are based on an assumption that the move to a unitary authority is going to happen and therefore we have not considered whether moving to this is better than the current council structure.
Having considered the guidance provided by the Government, it would appear a model where Hertfordshire is split into two unitary authorities (South-West Hertfordshire and North-East Hertfordshire) would provide the best balance of local democracy with being able to leverage economies of scale to deliver increased efficiency.
In this model, South-West Hertfordshire would probably constitute an amalgamation of Three Rivers, Dacorum, Watford, St Albans and Hertsmere. This aligns with the group of districts that are already working together on the Joint Strategic Plan and amounts to approximately half of the population of Hertfordshire County. It also approximately aligns to the local NHS Trust area that used to be covered by the Herts Valleys CCG and now Herts and West Essex ICB.
It is believed that a council of this size will be able to maintain a local perspective whilst balancing the need to deliver increased efficiency. It is possible that a three-council model (West, Central and East) could work but would have an initial population below the level suggested by the Government, about 400,000 each. However, based on the new homes requirement from the Standard Methodology, it would appear that the population of each of the areas will grow quickly.
Whilst a single Hertfordshire Unitary authority would enable increased economies of scale to be generated, it is our feeling that it would be too distant from local areas and would significantly weaken true local democracy, so this is not a preferred alternative.
Within this re-organisation, we strongly feel that consideration should be given to delegating some of the roles of the current district councils to local councils where the need for local knowledge could outweigh the savings that can be made through consolidation of services. This could include areas such as play areas, parks, green spaces, leisure and, possibly, small (not major) planning applications. After all, the best way to economise is to make the right decisions first time and this is aided by local knowledge.
Looking to the future, it is possible that a mayor covering a much wider area than the councils could be a good move – possibly Herts, Essex and Bucks. These areas form the Northern Home Counties, and all have fairly similar natures – in particular being largely dependent on London for employment. As such their concerns are broadly aligned, particularly with regard to transport. This would comprise an area with a population of just over three million, about the same as Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. These mayoralties seem to work well for strategic matters such as transport but should not be involved in more local matters.
To ensure that whatever solution is finally decided upon has the widest possible buy-in, we ask that Residents Associations are included in the discussions on this matter, either through local RA’s or through the Joint RA.
Congratulations to our Second place winner, David Fyles, pictured below being presented their winnings by the RDRA’s Membership Secretary Anne Littlejohn.
First place winner, Sanjay Bouri, and Third place winner, Sanjay Pattni, have kindly donated their winnings.
Three Rivers are asking residents and visitors for their comments on each of the five names shortlisted below. Final decision on the bridge name will be made later this year.
The proposed names are:
Ann Shaw Bridge
Aquadrome Bridge
Colne View Bridge
Ebury Bridge
Harry Walker Bridge
Each suggested name has a description explaining its link to Rickmansworth. The survey will run until Friday 28 March.
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.
The old Aquadrome pedestrian bridge off Riverside Drive, next to the playground, is being replaced for a new gateway to the nature reserve. Three Rivers District Council’s contractor, Beaver Bridges, successfully disassembled the bridge last month and the new bridge will be installed on 15th and 16th March. Expect single lane traffic management during this time.
The Aquadrome remains open via the car park, towpath by the canal, or by following the established diversion signage.
The new bridge, funded largely by developer contributions, will be 48.6m in length and 3m wide – double in width than the old bridge to allow pedestrians, wheelchairs, buggies and cyclists to pass each other safely and encourage sustainable travel. The surrounding area will also be attractively landscaped to provide a great view of Batchworth Lake.
Fishing swim enhancements:
Enhancement work on the fishing swims started last month on Batchworth Lake. Three Rivers District Council’s contractor, AquaMaintain will be working on the site until Monday 31 March. The plans, which have been funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, have been developed in consultation with the local fishing club and Countryside Management Services.
The Story so far:
Earlier in the year we reported the conclusion of the Lottery fund bid ‘Identify, Inform, Involve’ – Natural Heritage Networks project successes. Our Evaluation report and digital brochure documenting the community programme are now hosted on the council’s website. We are pleased to share these with you and hope that you enjoy looking through the two documents: Natural Heritage Networks Evaluation Report and Aquadrome 2024 Activity Highlights.
Between 10am and midday on Friday 14 March, in the foyer of Three Rivers House on Northway, WD3 1RL meet face-to-face with our local PCSO named Ryun Beeson.
Come along to discuss any concerns you may have regarding neighbourhood issues in your area. Receive crime prevention advice & support for finding further services.
Please fill in the latest survey from Hertfordshire Constabulary:
This article will be in the next Ricky News, written by RDRA Committee members Christina Evans, Anne Littlejohn, Andrea Clark & Debbie Wheeler.
The RDRA (Rickmansworth & District Residents’ Association) organised the Batchworth Bridge Crossing Safety Forum on 29th January, in partnership with BCC (Batchworth Community Council) to discuss the hazards of Batchworth Bridge Crossing. Fortunately to date, there has not been a fatality (unless you count the two dead swans). Over 60 residents attended the Forum.
The major concerns highlighted at the Forum:
Batchworth Bridge Crossing is frequently used by people of all ages & abilities, night & day.
There has been numerous near misses and several accidents.
Poorly lit crossing.
Drivers can’t see pedestrians at night.
Crossing is on the brow of a hill and drivers accelerate towards the crossing.
Faded crossing markings (cannot be seen from roundabout).
Inadequate and obscured 30mph signage.
Crossing is on a dual carriage way – one lane stops, the other lane doesn’t stop.
Suggestions from the Forum were:
Improve or add lighting:
The white part of the Belisha Beacon poles should be LED lit.
Add spotlights on the pole to illuminate pedestrians.
Add speed cameras leading to crossing.
Smiley Activated Message (SAM).
Larger and more frequent 30mph signage.
Painting 30mph roundels on roads leading to crossing.
Reduce speed from 40mph to 30mph on Riverside Drive (single carriageway).
Recent temporary traffic lights worked.
Residents were in favour of permanent traffic lights on the crossing.
What can we do to avert a fatality?
Contact Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) for action to be taken. Request reply. Use the HCC webform to inform them:
Woodoaks’ Black Barn Project planning application for a Community and Education Hub is now in with Three Rivers. The picture below shows how it will appear on the landscape in the artist’s impression:
Our hope is that Three Rivers District Council will approve it without challenges, but community support is now crucial and that’s where we’d love your help, whethr you are a cyclist, green hearted, nature lover or live nearby etc.
Please can you add your voice? Emails to the planning officer will help them to recognise the far reaching and positive impact the Black Barn Project will have.
What you need to do
Send a brief email describing why you support the application (sadly template letters are discounted).
You will need to include your name, and your address as local support really holds weight.
We really appreciate everyone’s time pressed, so here are a few pointers that might help:-
Our mission: To create a community hub for education, lifelong skills, and resilience. To extend a warm welcome to young and old to reconnect, and help restore the balance of nature, people, and planet.
The Black Barn Project will create…
A place which allows local communities to engage with and observe local wildlife, and experience and learn how food can be grown in harmony with nature.
A place to witness the protection of land and heritage, and the restoration of biodiversity, with opportunities to participate, learn and inspire positive action and behavioural change.
A place which challenges the barriers for access to the countryside and farming. Welcoming diversity and nurturing inclusive connections.
A place already known as ‘A Beacon of Hope’ by our local community.
Deadline for submission is no later than Wednesday 5th March.
As well as contacting HCC directly, please can you also sign the Batchworth Bridge petition which can be found on the Three Rivers Website https://my.threerivers.gov.uk/E-Petitions.
Select option ‘Sign a submitted petition online‘ and search for “Make Batchworth Bridge Crossing Safe for all users”. You will need to login or create a login to sign. Thank you.
