Devolution White Paper: Statement from the Leader of the Council

Press reports suggest the leader of Hertfordshire County Council is proposing the creation of one unitary council for the whole county – covering all 1.2 million residents – along with cancelling the county council elections in May 2025.

I do not support this proposal, which follows the announcement by the government on Monday that it wants to abolish all district and borough councils and merge them with county councils.

It is important that local councils are local and connected to the residents they serve. No one at Three Rivers District Council has been consulted on this by the county council despite an assurance of such just over a week ago. Nor has this council been consulted on any unitary authority proposal covering our district.

I will be meeting other council leaders in Hertfordshire on Friday to seek a mutual way forward.

However I am clear that cancelling planned democratic elections and creating a single mega council covering 1.2 million people, which will feel very remote for our residents, is not the right way forward. 

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Leader, Three Rivers District Council