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Cabinet received a report requesting approval of
the Council’s proposed response to the Minister of State for
Local Government and English Devolution’s formal invitation
to develop proposals for a single tier of local government in
Hertfordshire.
 
The Leader of the Council thanked Cabinet colleagues, for
their continued support and engagement on Local Government
Reorganisation and Members of
all political parties who had engaged so constructively on this
vital topic. The
Leader also thanked the officer team who had been tireless in their work on
LGR, in developing the options, working with the community to
listen to their views, keeping Members involved and engaging
Council teams positively.
 
In relation to Devolution, The Leader advised that he had
supported the proposal to request a Mayoral Strategic Authority for
Hertfordshire which would help secure funding for many more council
homes, to continue regeneration, to create jobs for local people
and to improve the local area.
 
The Leader stated that he would be supporting the 4 Unitary
Model option based on a number of factors including the clear
messages that had come through from local people preferring
councils that were close to their communities and wanting value for
money and well managed services.
 
Tom Pike, Chief Executive, gave a summary of the outcome of
the Council meeting held on 17 November and an overview of the
reports and proposals.
 
Clare Fletcher, Strategic Director and
Victoria Wilders Monitoring Officer and Borough Solicitor gave a
summary of the financial and legal implications of the
report.  The Monitoring Officer also
informed the meeting that the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny has
agreed to disapply call in in relation to Cabinet’s decision
today in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules
under the Constitution.
 
The decision to disapply the call-in would be
reported to the next available meeting of the Council.
 
Members made a number of comments on the
report in support of the 4 Unitary Model.
 
Following debate, each Member
of the Cabinet was asked to indicate their preferred option and it
was RESOLVED:
 
1.           
The indicative resolution of Full Council be noted.
2.           
That the preferred Option C be approved to submit the proposal and
identify the modified four unitary option (4UA modified) as
preferred and request that the SoS formally modify the proposal by
boundary changes as set out in the proposal.
3.           
That the report be endorsed and that authority be delegated to the
Chief Executive, having consulted with the Leader of the Council,
to work with Hertfordshire County Council and District and Borough
Councils to finalise and submit Hertfordshire’s proposals for
Local Government Reorganisation to Government by 28 November
2025.