02 Sep 2026
Herts County Council has formally asked the Government to disclose all the evidence for their decision to create four unitary councils in Hertfordshire as part of Local Government Reorganisation.
Earlier this summer the Government announced that Hertfordshire would be divided into four unitary authorities, with St Albans merged with Dacorum under the new structure.
SADC’s preferred approach was for the county to be divided into West Herts (Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, Watford) and East Herts (Broxbourne, East Herts, North Herts, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield), but this was rejected.
Following a motion agreed at an HCC Full Council in July, the council has taken independent legal advice and now issued a Pre-Action Protocol letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government seeking clarity and transparency on the process, including how the different proposals were assessed against the Government’s own criteria.
The letter requests the disclosure of evidence, analysis and financial assessments that informed the decision, particularly in relation to financial sustainability, implications of the Fair Funding Review and population size.
The council has taken the formal step of issuing a pre-action letter after receiving no substantive response to repeated requests for further information from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) since the end of July.
A Pre-Action Protocol letter is a formal step that allows individuals and organisations to seek explanations and information before deciding whether any legal challenge should be pursued. This is not a decision to launch a judicial review nor an attempt to stop LGR.
The council will continue working closely with MHCLG, Hertfordshire’s district and borough councils and all local partners to prepare for new local government arrangements in 2028 and ensure services continue to be delivered effectively for residents and businesses throughout the transition.
HCC will also continue to work with the Government to secure meaningful devolution, including a mayor for Hertfordshire as soon as possible.
HCC leader Cllr Steve Jarvis said: “This is a step we have taken reluctantly. Throughout this process we have sought constructive engagement with Government but we remain concerned that the four-unitary model is the most expensive, complex and disruptive option for Hertfordshire.
“The Government’s own consultation analysis also showed that the two-unitary proposal was the most popular option among respondents overall as well as Hertfordshire residents and key partner organisations.
“The changes proposed are the biggest transformation of local government in Hertfordshire for 60 years and will have an impact for decades to come so it is vital that decisions are based on robust evidence and sound financial analysis in the best interests of our county. We will carefully consider the Government’s response and consider what, if any, further action is appropriate.
“We remain committed to working constructively with Government, with our district and borough council colleagues and with all our local partners while seeking the clarity and transparency that residents deserve.”
SADC councillor Mike Hobday, leader of the St Albans Labour Group, attacked the Liberal Democrat-led county council for continuing to pursue its objection to the Government’s announcement that Hertfordshire will have four unitary councils.
“The county council’s continued flirtation with legal challenge is a shocking waste of taxpayers’ money when the county’s roads are still full of potholes, when bus services still fail to meet our needs and when families still struggle to get the right support for their children with special educational needs.
“Six out of eleven Hertfordshire councils supported the plan for four unitary councils – including Conservative-led Broxbourne and Liberal Democrat-led Dacorum. Four councils was also the most popular public option in last year’s public consultation.
“It is time for the county council to put the bickering over the number of councils behind us, and focus on making the new councils work. Any legal uncertainty will just add to cost and delay and will take time away from the important task of moving to the new structure.”
