Council Leadership

Chair and Vice-Chair

The Chair:

The Chair of Three Rivers District Council during the Civic Year 2026-27 is Cllr Keith Martin who represents Oxhey Hall and Hayling Ward. 

The Chair of the Council is elected by the whole council and serves for one year. He represents the district at a wide range of public events on a non party political basis.

Vice-Chair:

The Vice-Chair of the Council for 2026-27 is Cllr Reena Ranger OBE who represents Moor Park and Eastbury Ward.

The Vice-Chair of the Council is elected by the whole council and serves for one year. She represents the Chair of the Council when they are unavailable.

Leader of the council and Lead Members

The position of the leader of the council and lead members are agreed by full council.

Current lead member positions are as follows:

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst OBE - Leader and Lead Member for Local Plan

Cllr Louise Price - Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources, Regeneration and Economic Development

Cllr Chris Lloyd - Lead Member for Leisure

Cllr Steve Drury - Lead Member for Community Engagement, Public Safety & Housing

Cllr Aidan Bentley - Lead Member for Sustainability & Climate Change

Cllr Paul Rainbow - Lead Member for General Public Services

Chief Executive and Directors

The council is managed by the Chief Executive, and services are overseen by the Director of Finance, the Associate Director for Corporate, Customer and Community, the Associate Director of Legal and Democratic and the Associate Director for Environment.

Chief Executive: Joanne Wagstaffe

Joanne.wagstaffe@threerivers.gov.uk

Joanne Wagstaffe is the Chief Executive of Three Rivers District Council. She is the head of our paid service and has authority over all other officers to ensure the efficient management and execution of our functions.

The Chief Executive is the leader of the officers' Corporate Management Team and is our principal adviser on matters of general policy. She is responsible for coordinating advice on planning objectives and services and securing a corporate approach to council affairs generally.

Through her leadership of the officers' Corporate Management Team, the Chief Executive is responsible for efficiently and effectively implementing our policies and ensuring our resources are deployed most effectively.

Similarly, the Chief Executive continually reviews our organisation and administration and makes recommendations through the Policy and Resources Committee if major changes are needed to promote effective management.

The Chief Executive is also responsible for maintaining good internal and external relations with organisations, groups and individuals in the public and private sector.

The Director of Finance, the Associate Director for Corporate, Customer and Community, the Associate Director of Legal and Democratic and the Associate Director for Environment report directly to the Chief Executive.

Director of Finance

Alison Betts

alison.betts@threerivers.gov.uk

Associate Director for Corporate, Customer and Community

Kimberley Grout

Kimberley.grout@threerivers.gov.uk

Interim: Acting Associate Director of Legal and Democratic (Monitoring Officer)

Kimberley Grout

Kimberley.grout@threerivers.gov.uk

Associate Director for Environment

Emma Sheridan

Emma.sheridan@threerivers.gov.uk

Corporate, Customer and Community

Associate Director for Corporate, Customer and Community
Kimberley Grout
Kimberley.grout@threerivers.gov.uk

The following services sit within the Corporate, Customer and Community directorate:

Strategy and Partnerships:
- Community Safety
- Partnerships
- Emergency Planning, Data Protection and Resilience
- Major Projects Board

Head of Strategy and Partnerships
Rebecca Young
rebecca.young@threerivers.gov.uk

Housing Services:
- Housing
- Environmental Health

Housing Operations Manager
Deborah Allen
deborah.allen@threerivers.gov.uk

Strategic Housing Manager
Jason Hagland
jason.hagland@threerivers.gov.uk

Communications Customer & Culture:
- Communications and Digital Services
- Customer Service Centre
- Watersmeet Theatre

Head of Communications Customer & Culture
Josh Sills
Josh.sills@threerivers.gov.uk

Legal and Democratic (Monitoring Officer)

Interim: Acting Associate Director of Legal and Democratic (Monitoring Officer)
Kimberley Grout
Kimberley.grout@threerivers.gov.uk

The following services sit with in the Legal and Democratic directorate:

Committee and Electoral Services:
Committee and Electoral Services Manager
Lucy Smith
Lucy.smith@threerivers.gov.uk

Environment

Associate Director for Environment
Emma Sheridan
Emma.sheridan@threerivers.gov.uk

The following services sit within the Environment directorate:

Waste and Environment:
- Environmental Protection
- Waste Services
- Grounds Maintenance

Waste and Environment Manager
Craig Thorpe
craig.thorpe@threerivers.gov.uk

Climate and Sustainability:
Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy Officer
Joanna Hewitson
joanna.hewitson@threerivers.gov.uk

Leisure and Natural Infrastructure:
- Leisure
- Trees and Landscapes

Head of Leisure and Natural Infrastructure
Charlotte Gomes
charlotte.gomes@threerivers.gov.uk

Finance

Director of Finance
Alison Betts
alison.betts@threerivers.gov.uk

The following services sit within the Finance directorate:

Property Services:
- Council Land and Property
- Facilities

Head of Property:
Justin Wingfield
Justin.wingfield@threerivers.gov.uk

Planning Policy and Conservation:
- Local Plan
- Planning Policy

Head of Planning Policy and Conservation
Marko Kalik
Marko.kalik@threerivers.gov.uk

Regulatory Services:
- Development Management
- Licensing
- Building Control
- Transport and Parking
- Land and Property Information (including CIL)
- Commercial Environmental Health

Head of Regulatory Services:
Kimberley Rowley
Kimberley.rowley@threerivers.gov.uk

Shared Services:

The shared services provided by Finance and Revenues and Benefits for Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council also sit under the Finance directorate.

Shared Services

Four departments provide shared services for Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council:

• Finance
• Human Resources
• Information and Communications Technology
• Revenues and Benefits

Finance

Interim Head of Finance
Michelle Howell
Michelle.Howell@threerivers.gov.uk

The Finance department provides a shared service for Three Rivers and Watford Borough Council. It is not a front-line service but supports front-line services in achieving our aims and objectives. The department has a corporate governance role and gives corporate accountancy advice on legislative changes and the financial implications of proposals.

It sets and monitors our budget from final accounts through to published financial statements. It also provides advice and support to officers and committees. For further information, see our Statement of Accounts page.

The department oversees treasury management (investment and borrowing), insurances, VAT, income control, banking services and the administration and control of creditors and purchase order systems. The department is also responsible for the prevention, detection and prosecution of fraud.

Human Resources

Interim Head of Human Resources
Lee Pound
lee.pound@threerivers.gov.uk

The Human Resources department provides a shared service for Three Rivers and Watford Borough Council. The department advises managers and staff on:

• recruitment
• employee relations
• HR policies and procedures
• training and development
• general HR matters

Information and Communications Technology

Head of Information and Communications Technology
Emma Tiernan
emma.tiernan@threerivers.gov.uk

Information and Communications Technology is a shared service with Watford Borough Council. Watford Borough Council is the lead authority for the service. It provides advice on the provision and maintenance of ICT systems, solutions and services, including:

• service desk management
• network support
• desktop support
• server management
• application support
• hardware and software support
• IT training
• strategic advice and consultancy

Revenues and Benefits

Head of Revenues and Benefits
Jane Walker
Jane.walker@threerivers.gov.uk

The Revenues and Benefits department provides a shared service for Three Rivers and Watford Borough Council. It is responsible for the administration of the Council Tax Support Scheme and Housing Benefit.

The department is responsible for the billing and collection of Council Tax and national non-domestic rates.