Learn about the future of local government and give your views

Three Rivers District Council is hosting four upcoming meetings across the district at which people are invited to share their views on how services will be delivered in Hertfordshire in the years ahead.

A special public meeting is being held tonight (Friday) in Mill End, followed by Local Area Forums over the coming week at Abbots Langley, Rickmansworth and South Oxhey. Events for Chorleywood & Sarratt and Croxley Green have already taken place.

The leader of Three Rivers District Council, Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst OBE, will be presenting information about local government reorganisation at the events, as well as taking questions.

The local government reorganisation process comes after the Government set out plans in December 2024 to simplify local government in England to make it easier for residents and businesses to access services and to save money.

Cllr Giles-Medhurst said: “I urge anyone interested in the future of local government and how they will be represented in the years ahead to come along. I will be outlining the options for how the future may look, and I am very keen to hear the views of the general public on this crucial issue.”

In Hertfordshire, there are currently two types of principal authorities:

• District and borough councils, which provide services such as housing, planning, bin collections, car parks and leisure services.
• The county council, which is responsible for schools, libraries, roads, caring for children and  supporting adults who need help with daily living.

Under the Government’s plan, these councils will be replaced by new unitary councils.

There are also town, parish and community councils across the county - they are the most local tier of local government and provide a range of local services such as allotments, organising community events, owning and running local community buildings and maintenance of some parks and open spaces. Parish councils are not affected by this reorganisation.

All councils in Hertfordshire are working together to explore what this would look like. The aim is to create a system of local government that is easy to understand, delivers good value for money and responds to the needs of local areas.

Please see dates and times of the public engagement events below. You can also give you views by completing this survey before the end of September.

Mill End & Maple Cross Public Meeting
Friday, 12 September, 7.30pm
Mill End Community Centre, Church Lane, Mill End, Rickmansworth, WD3 8HD

Abbots Langley Local Area Forum
Monday, 15 September, 7.30pm
Manor House, Gallows Hill Lane, Abbots Langley, WD5 0DD

Rickmansworth Local Area Forum
Tuesday, 16 September, 7.30pm
Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth, WD3 1RL

Watford Rural Local Area Forum
Thursday, 18 September, 7.30pm
Watford Rural Parish Council, Oxhey Drive, South Oxhey, Watford,   WD19 7SB