Content

Decision
 
RESOLVED that
Cabinet:

1.1 noted
the range of views expressed by members at the meeting of the Full
Council held on the 19 November 2025.

1.2

 agreed to submit to the
Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and
Local Government (MHCLG) the proposal for the reorganisation of
principal authorities in the County of Hertfordshire set out in the
Appendix to the report of the Chief Executive and identify the
modified four unitary option as the Council’s preferred
option and requests the Secretary of State to formally modify the
proposal by agreeing to the boundary changes as set out in the
proposal in respect of this option.

1.3

 agreed the principle that no
further action should be taken in relation to securing
Hertsmere’s Borough status following Local Government
Reorganisation and that the Royal Letters Patent should be allowed
to fall into abeyance and that efforts should be made for the
mayoral trappings and items to be gifted to local museums and
bodies as appropriate.

1.4

 delegated authority to the
Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader to:

i.                   
Authorise and
make any minor modifications required to ensure that the proposal
is compliant with the decision of Cabinet.

ii.                 
Instruct the
Hertfordshire County Council Chief Executive to indicate
Hertsmere’s preferred option within the
submission.

iii.               
Authorise the
Hertfordshire County Council Chief Executive Officer to submit the
proposal.
 
Reasons for
decision
 
Although the decision had been confirmed to
rest with Cabinet, as set out in the Legal Implications section in
the report, and as advised by Counsel, Cabinet had agreed that all
Members should have the opportunity to debate the issue so that
Cabinet can be informed of the areas of concern and how it might
influence their decision. This had been done through an
extraordinary Full Council meeting which was held on the 19
November 2025.
As such all three options, allowing for a
unitary structure of 2, 3 or 4 authorities in Hertfordshire, were
presented for Cabinet to consider.
With the dissolution of Hertsmere Borough
Council there will no longer be an identifiable geographic area or
collective identity for Hertsmere. Parish Chair’s and Town
Mayor’s will retain their roles and therefore the new Unitary
Chair will take on the Civic responsibilities as appropriate. Thus
allowing the Royal Letters Patent to fall into abeyance and with it
the dissolution of the Hertsmere Mayoralty.
 
Alternative Options
Considered
 
The changes proposed were considered to be a
once in a generation shift in local government.
 
Should Cabinet have determined not to submit a
proposal on behalf of Hertsmere Borough Council, this would leave
the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and
Local Government to consider proposals from the other local
authorities in Hertfordshire and to make a decision without further
reference to the input of Hertsmere Borough Council.
The Cabinet could have elected to retain the
Mayor of Hertsmere through the creation of Charter Trustees,
despite Hertsmere Borough Council ceasing to exist. The Charter
Trustees would be funded by a dedicated precept raised against the
residents in the administrative area of the Borough of Hertsmere
which would be in addition to the precept for the new unitary
authority of which the Borough will form part. This would have
funded the activities of the Mayoralty.
 
The elected Members of the new authority for
the area covered by the Borough of Hertsmere would form the Charter
Trustees. This would result in retention of an additional layer of
civic administration in addition to existing town and parish Mayors
and Chairs, the Civic Chair of the new unitary authority and any
future Mayor of a Combined Strategic Authority.