The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Hertfordshire Council is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. The primary focus of this meeting will be the consideration of a call-in regarding the Cabinet's decision to commit Hertfordshire County Council to joining the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and working towards recognition as a Council of Sanctuary. The committee will also review a public petition demanding a referendum on this matter.

Council of Sanctuary Status

The committee is scheduled to examine the decision made by the Cabinet on 14 October 2026, which involved committing Hertfordshire County Council to joining the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and pursuing recognition as a Council of Sanctuary. This decision was subsequently called in by eleven members of the Reform Group and one unaligned Conservative Member, citing concerns including legal and jurisdictional issues, financial and resource implications, procedural deficiencies, inadequate public consultation, and a lack of transparency and accountability. The report pack details the council's response to each of these six points.

The report outlines that the motion to pursue Council of Sanctuary status was initially supported by the Public Health & Community Safety Cabinet Panel on 14 September 2026. The motion itself acknowledges that people fleeing violence, persecution and conflict are entitled to seek protection under the law and deserve to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect. It also highlights Hertfordshire's tradition of supporting people in need and working with various partners to assist those seeking sanctuary.

The report further details the requirements of the Council of Sanctuary accreditation process, existing support provided to refugees and asylum seekers in Hertfordshire, potential benefits, risks, and resource implications, and opportunities for partnership working. It notes that the City of Sanctuary UK is a registered charity that offers a framework for local authorities to demonstrate their commitment to welcome, inclusion, and community cohesion. The accreditation process is voluntary and designed to build on existing work. The report states that the financial implications are limited to an accreditation fee of £2,700, payable on receipt of award, and that the work can be met from existing staff resources within current service budgets.

The committee will also consider a public petition presented on 20 October 2026, which demands a referendum before Hertfordshire County Council pursues County of Sanctuary status. The petition argues that Every person living in or around the County of Hertfordshire deserves a say in its future and that such a significant change should not be made without consulting the public. The petition calls for a referendum to allow residents to approve or reject the decision to become a Sanctuary County.

The committee will be asked to make one of three decisions: to have no objection to the called-in decision being implemented, to refer the decision back to the Cabinet for reconsideration with reasons, or, if the decision is deemed to be in breach of the Council's Policy Framework or Budget framework, to refer it to a full Council meeting.

The meeting is scheduled to include statements from the Head of Scrutiny, the lead member of those who called in the decision, and a response from the Executive Member for Public Health and Community Safety, Ajanta Hilton. This will be followed by questioning from the committee members and a debate.

The documents related to this meeting include the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.