Hertfordshire County Council is scheduled to meet on 9 December 2025 to discuss a number of issues, including a petition to keep street lights on at night, devolution for Hertfordshire, and proposed revisions to the council's constitution. Councillors will also consider the appointment of a vice-chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Here are some of the key items up for discussion:

• Mr J Dowdle's Petition: Leave Our Street Lights On At Night A petition containing over 1,000 signatures from Hertfordshire residents will be presented to the council by Mr J Dowdle. The petition calls for the council to reverse its policy of switching off street lights at night. The petition states that:

  County Councillor Giles-Medhurst, Executive Member for Highways, has stated (Abbots Langley safety fears ahead of streetlight switch-off, Watford Observer, 28 August 2025) that this policy will 'save the authority £14,000 in yearly energy costs and have a meaningful impact on the environment and the council's budget.'

  These minor savings pale into total insignificance when set against the Council policy of introducing 20 mph speed zones across the entire county over three years at a cost of £7 million.

  A report prepared by officers notes that the majority of streetlights in Hertfordshire have been operating in this way for 13 years, and that there is no evidence of any negative impact on road safety or crime rates. The report also notes that the policy has led to avoiding around £3.6 million a year on the council's electricity bill. The report also notes that the council acknowledges the concerns of residents regarding safety on Hertfordshire's streets, and has developed a modern streetlight system that is flexible to meet the needs of varied and changing requirements across the county.

• Devolution for Hertfordshire The council will discuss an update report on devolution arrangements in Hertfordshire. The report notes that the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, set out the government's ambition for all parts of England to be covered by devolution, ultimately to have a Mayor and a Mayoral Strategic Authority[^2] (MSA) to boost growth and provide strong, accountable local leadership. [^2]: A Mayoral Strategic Authority is a combined authority led by a directly elected mayor. The report also notes that the Leader of the Council, Councillor Steve Jarvis, wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 4 November 2025, outlining Hertfordshire's devolution ambitions. The report recommends that the council agrees the ambition for Hertfordshire to progress to a Mayoral Strategic Authority at the earliest opportunity, noting the benefits and potential this will unlock for residents and businesses across the county. The report states that at present, whilst the council awaits a government decision on devolution for Hertfordshire, the county is unable to access and benefit from the funding available to Strategic Authorities, the most recent funding outlined in the Autumn Budget 2025.

• Proposed Revisions to Annex 7 of the Council's Constitution The council will consider proposed amendments to Standing Order 6.4 of Annex 7 of the Council's Constitution to rectify the discrepancy between the process for questions at Full Council and that at Cabinet. The proposed revisions to Standing Orders are shown in Appendix A to the report as tracked changes. The report notes that the current provisions for submitting questions to Cabinet do not adequately reflect the composition of the council as they lack recognition of political group representation and do not incorporate any system of rotation or prioritisation among questioners. The Monitoring Officer undertook a review aimed at ensuring balance across all political groups, and the proposed revisions were subsequently considered and endorsed by Group Leaders at their meeting on 11 August 2025.

• Appointment of a Vice-Chair of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee The council will be asked to appoint a Vice-Chair of its Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) from the Reform UK Group. The report recommends that County Councillor Caroline Clapper be appointed as the Reform UK Group Vice-Chair of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

• Motions on Notice The council will consider the following motions:

  • A motion submitted by Councillor Ralph Muncer, seconded by Councillor Paula Hiscocks, relating to a 'Rural and Small Schools Resilience Strategy for Hertfordshire'.
  • A motion submitted by Councillor Matt Cowley, seconded by Councillor Vishal Patel, asking the administration to review the council's streetlighting policy.
  • A motion submitted by Councillor Alexander Curtis, seconded by Councillor Morris Bright MBE, relating to the presence of fronts for criminal activity on Hertfordshire's high streets.

• Executive Report to Council Councillor Steve Jarvis, Leader of the Council, will present a report to the council, summarising key decisions made by the cabinet since the last meeting of the council.

• Reports from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Health Scrutiny Committee Fiona Thomson, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and Councillor Rachel Carter, Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee, will present reports to the council, summarising the work of their respective committees.

The council is also scheduled to confirm the minutes of previous meetings and deal with questions to executive members.