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Who Does What? Your Guide to Local Government in Hertsmere | Reform UK Hertsmere
Reform UK HertsmereExplainer12 June 2026•1 min read
Know Your Local Government: Who Does What in Hertsmere?
County, borough and parish councils have different responsibilities. Here is a simple guide to who does what and where to get help.
Article Summary
At a Glance
The key points you need to know.
What This Means For Residents
Knowing which council is responsible can help you report problems, request support and contact the correct councillor more quickly. County councillors deal with countywide services, borough councillors focus on Hertsmere services, and town or parish councillors represent issues at the most local community level.
Key Facts
✓Hertfordshire currently has one county council and ten district or borough councils.
✓Hertsmere Borough Council is responsible for services including bin collections, planning, housing, parking, parks and environmental health.
✓Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for services including schools, roads, social care, libraries and public transport.
✓Borough and county councillors represent different electoral areas and oversee different public services.
✓The present two-tier structure will continue operating until the new unitary councils take over on 1 April 2028.
What Happens Next
Our next guides explain the roles of county and borough councillors in more detail, including the services each council currently controls. We will also explain how Hertfordshire’s move to four unitary councils will change local government and representation from April 2028.
Until the new authorities take over, Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council will continue providing their existing services.
The Full Story
Local government affects many parts of everyday life, from bin collections and planning applications to schools, roads and social care. However, understanding which council is responsible for each service is not always straightforward.
Hertfordshire currently operates a two-tier system of principal local government. This means responsibility for local services is divided between Hertfordshire County Council and ten district or borough councils, including Hertsmere Borough Council.
Some communities also have a town or parish council, creating an additional, very local level of representation.
Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council provides larger, countywide services. These include:
✓Schools and education
✓Children’s and adult social care
✓Roads, highways and street lighting
✓Public transport
✓Libraries
✓Fire and rescue services
✓Household waste recycling centres
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Reform UK Hertsmere
Stay Informed
Keep up to date with council decisions, planning updates, campaigns and community news from across Hertsmere.
If you are reporting a pothole, applying for a school place or need information about social care, Hertfordshire County Council will usually be responsible.
County councillors represent larger electoral divisions and scrutinise decisions about these countywide services.
Hertsmere Borough Council
Hertsmere Borough Council provides services focused more directly on our local communities and towns. These include:
✓Household bin collections and recycling
✓Planning applications and development
✓Housing and homelessness support
✓Parks, leisure facilities and open spaces
✓Car parks, parking permits and enforcement
✓Environmental health
✓Licensing
✓Street cleaning
✓Council Tax and benefits administration
If your question concerns a missed bin collection, a local planning application, housing support or a council-owned car park, Hertsmere Borough Council will usually be the correct place to start.
Borough councillors represent individual wards within Hertsmere. They raise residents’ concerns, scrutinise council decisions and help shape local policies and services.
Town and parish councils
Some parts of Hertsmere also have town or parish councils. These operate at the most local level and may look after facilities such as allotments, village halls, play areas, cemeteries or local community spaces.
They can also represent community views and are consulted on planning applications, although they do not normally make the final planning decision.
Not every area has a town or parish council, and the services they provide can vary.
Why knowing the difference matters
Contacting the correct council can help you receive an answer more quickly and avoid being passed between different organisations.
It also helps residents hold the right elected representatives accountable. Borough councillors cannot direct decisions about county-run services such as highways or education. Equally, county councillors do not control services such as bin collections or most local planning applications.
The easiest way to remember the current structure is:
County Council: larger services delivered across Hertfordshire.
Borough Council: services delivered within Hertsmere.
Town or Parish Council: very local community facilities and representation.
Hertfordshire’s system is due to change in April 2028, when the existing county, district and borough councils are replaced by four new unitary councils. Until then, the existing councils remain responsible for delivering services as normal.
