Promoted by Nicola Dinan at Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, on behalf of Reform UK at the same address. Reform UK Hertsmere is an approved local branch of Reform UK.
What will a Unitary Councillor do | Reform UK Hertsmere
Unitary councillors will combine the responsibilities currently divided between county and borough councillors, overseeing the full range of local council services.
Article Summary
At a Glance
The key points you need to know.
What This Means For Residents
Instead of contacting separate county and borough councillors about different services, residents will have unitary councillors representing them across the full range of council responsibilities. Their role will cover everything from planning, housing and waste to roads, education and social care.
Key Facts
✓Unitary councillors will replace the separate county and borough councillor roles.
✓They will oversee services currently divided between Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council.
✓Their responsibilities will include planning, housing, roads, transport, waste, education and social care.
✓Unitary councillors will represent every resident within their electoral area, regardless of how that person voted.
✓Councillors elected in May 2027 will initially help establish and oversee the new Shadow Authority.
✓Unitary councillors will take on their full responsibilities when the new council begins delivering services on 1 April 2028.
What Happens Next
Elections to the new Shadow Authority are scheduled for May 2027. The elected councillors will help establish the new South West Hertfordshire unitary council and oversee preparations for transferring services from the existing authorities. Hertfordshire County Council, Hertsmere Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council will continue delivering their current services until 1 April 2028. The final article in this series explains what the new unitary council and transition timetable will mean for Hertsmere residents.
The Full Story
From April 2028, Hertfordshire’s current county and borough councillor roles will be replaced by unitary councillors.
For Hertsmere residents, these councillors will be elected to the new South West Hertfordshire unitary authority, bringing together Hertsmere, Three Rivers and Watford.
A unitary councillor will represent residents in a defined local area and help oversee services currently divided between Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council.
One councillor covering the full range of services
Under the present two-tier system, county and borough councillors have different responsibilities.
County councillors deal with services such as roads, education, social care, libraries and public transport. Borough councillors focus on services including planning, housing, bin collections, parks, parking and environmental health.
Unitary councillors will bring these roles together. They will help make and scrutinise decisions across the full range of council services, including:
Instead of having separate county and borough councillors responsible for different services, residents will have unitary councillors representing them across both sets of responsibilities.
Representing local residents
A unitary councillor will represent everyone living within their electoral area, regardless of whether those residents voted for them.
Residents will be able to contact their unitary councillor about local concerns, problems with council services or decisions affecting their community.
Councillors will be able to raise issues with council officers, ask questions, challenge decisions and help residents reach the correct service.
However, councillors will not be able to guarantee a particular outcome or override legal requirements, council policies or professional decisions.
Making and scrutinising decisions
Unitary councillors will attend council meetings, examine reports and vote on decisions affecting their communities and the wider South West Hertfordshire area.
Some will serve on committees dealing with subjects such as planning, licensing, audit or scrutiny. Others may become Cabinet members with responsibility for particular council services.
They will need to balance the needs of the communities they represent with decisions affecting the whole unitary authority.
A wider and more demanding role
Because unitary councillors will cover responsibilities currently divided between two councils, their role will be broader than the present county or borough councillor role.
They will need to understand a much wider range of services, from planning and bin collections to highways, education and social care.
The detailed electoral areas, number of councillors and committee arrangements will be established as part of the transition to the new authority.
What happens during the Shadow Authority?
Elections to the new unitary councils are scheduled for May 2027.
The councillors elected will initially serve on a Shadow Authority. During this period, they will help establish the new council, agree how it will operate and oversee preparations for transferring services from the existing authorities.
Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council will continue delivering their existing services during this transition.
On 1 April 2028, the new unitary council will take full responsibility for local services and the unitary councillors will assume their complete decision-making role.
Hertfordshire’s existing 11 principal councils will be replaced by four unitary councils, bringing county and borough services together under one authority for each area.
County councillors represent larger areas and help oversee important services including education, highways, social care, libraries and public transport.
Borough councillors represent local wards and help oversee services including planning, housing, bin collections, parking, parks and environmental health.
