The Hertfordshire County Council cabinet met to discuss and approve the submission of final proposals for local government reorganisation in Hertfordshire, as required by the government. The cabinet agreed to submit a proposal that identifies the two unitary authority option as the council's preferred choice. Additionally, they agreed to send a letter outlining the council's concerns about the reorganisation process.

Local Government Reorganisation in Hertfordshire

The main item of business was the reorganisation of local government in Hertfordshire, in response to the government's invitation to develop proposals for a single tier of local government in the county.

Decision: The cabinet agreed to submit a proposal to the government which identifies the two unitary authority option as the preferred choice. They also agreed to submit a letter outlining the concerns about the process that were expressed by the council.

Councillor Steve Jarvis, Leader of the Council, proposed that the council should submit a proposal with the two unitary option as the preferred choice, alongside a letter detailing the council's concerns about the reorganisation process. This proposal was seconded by Councillor Chris Lucas, Executive member for Resources and Performance.

Councillor Walter Kofsky voiced his support for the two unitary option, stating he was doing so to follow the will of the full council . Councillor Lucas stated that the two unitary option was the most cost-effective and efficient way to manage the transition.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Executive member for Children's Social Care, spoke about the benefits of unitary authorities for children in care, highlighting the importance of housing opportunities and the council's role as a corporate parent¹ to approximately 1,000 young people. He argued that having responsibilities under one authority would be more efficient.

Councillor Mark Watkin, Executive member for Education, SEND and Inclusion, expressed concerns about the disruption that reorganisation would cause to services for children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). He acknowledged the necessity of choosing between the options presented but feared consequential harm before any benefits could be realised.

Councillor Jarvis acknowledged the concerns raised about the impact of reorganisation on both the council and the people who rely on its services, as well as those of district and borough councils. He expressed his personal belief that, while the short-term impact could be negative, the government's proposals would ultimately lead to better local government in the long term. He also noted the lack of clarity from the government regarding the details of the reorganisation and its connection to devolution². Despite these concerns, he stated that the best option was to support the two unitary councils proposal.

The English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, outlined the government's plans to devolve greater power and funding to local areas and to deliver local government reorganisation in all two-tier areas. On 5 February 2025, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution invited all two-tier council leaders to propose a single-tier structure for their counties. Hertfordshire submitted interim plans in March and were required to submit final proposals by 28 November 2025.

The proposed submission sets out three options for unitarisation: two, three, or four unitary councils. The submission will also indicate which option each of the 11 Hertfordshire councils supports.

The cabinet acknowledged concerns about the potential impact of reorganisation on the council and on those who rely on services provided by both Hertfordshire County Council and district and borough councils. However, it is hoped that the government's proposals will lead to improved local government in the longer term.

Other Business

The minutes from the previous cabinet meeting on 6 November 2025 were deferred to the next meeting on 2 December 2025. There were no questions from members of the council to executive members, and no public petitions were presented.