Council merger plans withdrawn

Plans to replace the county's 11 local District Councils with four new councils have been withdrawn by the government.

In a statement to The House of Commons, Local Government Minister Jim McMahon said the government was "withdrawing the decisions announced in July" for Hertfordshire and eight other areas.

Local elections scheduled for May 2027 will now go ahead using existing council boundaries.

Withdrawing these decisions does not mean reorganisation has been cancelled in these areas. All options and proposals remain under consideration in these areas and every area will have an outcome by early next year.

:: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

A statement by East Herts Council on behalf of Angie Ridgwell, Senior Responsible Officer for Hertfordshire Local Government Reorganisation, said: "The Government has announced today (29th October 2026) that it has withdrawn the decision to create four new unitary councils in Hertfordshire as part of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) alongside decisions for a number of other areas. 

"The Government will continue its review of these areas and expects to announce some new minded to decisions before the end of the year and the remainder early in the new year. We do not yet know when Hertfordshire’s decision will be made. These minded to decisions will be subject to a short period of review, allowing representations from stakeholders before a final decision is made.

"The Government has also confirmed that it will release half of the allocated transition funding, approximately £2 million, to Hertfordshire in November, with the remaining funding provided once a final decision has been reached.

"Shadow Authority elections will take place in May 2028, with the new authorities going live on 1 April 2029, one year later than originally planned.
 
"While today's announcement means there is no confirmed reorganisation model for Hertfordshire, work across the county will continue. We will now carefully consider the implications of this announcement on Hertfordshire’s LGR programme and the work to establish a Mayoral Strategic Authority for Hertfordshire as soon as possible following the announcement in the Budget. Hertfordshire’s councils remain committed to working collaboratively, engaging constructively with Government and ensuring that we are prepared for the next stage of the process once further clarity is provided."

Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, Councillor Steve Jarvis, said: "I am pleased the Government has withdrawn its previous decision to create four new unitary authorities in Hertfordshire, which we have consistently argued is not in the best interests of our county.

"However, many important questions about the Government's original decision-making process remain unanswered. The four-unitary model remains the most expensive, complex and disruptive option for Hertfordshire, with serious concerns about financial sustainability and the long-term impact on residents and services. We continue to believe that residents, businesses and councils deserve greater clarity and transparency about how decisions of this scale are reached and the evidence on which they are based.

"The Government must now consider the significant changes in Hertfordshire’s circumstances since our proposals were submitted including the rising demand for our services, the increased cost of delivering them and impact of the changes to the local government funding formula. I also urge them to complete this process quickly as possible. Prolonged uncertainty benefits nobody and risks delaying the planning required to deliver the best outcomes for our communities. It is also vital that this does not slow progress on devolution and establishing the Mayoral Strategic Authority for Hertfordshire announced in the Budget.

"We will continue to work collaboratively and constructively with district and borough councils, Government and our wider partners to secure the best possible future arrangements for Hertfordshire, while ensuring residents and businesses continue to receive the high-quality services they value and rely on every day."

Plans for elections to shadow councils, set to run for a year before taking over from the old authorities, are now expected be held in May 2028.