County council elections WILL go ahead in Hertfordshire this year – despite voting being delayed in a number of areas across the country to allow for local government reorganisation.

Hertfordshire currently operates a two-tier local government structure – with a single county council and 10 district or borough councils.

The county council is responsible for areas such as social care, education, highways, waste disposal, public health, trading standards and the Fire and Rescue Service.

Meanwhile district and borough councils take care of areas such as planning, waste collection, housing, licensing and parking.

In December, the government published a White Paper signalling the government's intention for all two tier areas – like Hertfordshire – to be reorganised in to single-tier unitary authorities.

And local elections in nine areas areas – including Essex, Thurrock, Norfolk and Suffolk – are to be delayed by a year, to allow for the reorganisation.

Today Conservative leader of Hertfordshire County Council Cllr Richard Roberts confirmed that county council elections in Hertfordshire would go ahead on May 1, as planned.

He said that unlike other areas the county council had not asked the government to delay this year's elections – or applied for the 'fast-track devolution priority programme'.

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And he said that would allow as much time as possible to gather and analyse information, develop proposals and build consensus – as well as ensuring "the local democratic cycle was not interrupted".

"Unlike some areas, Hertfordshire County Council did not ask government to delay this year's elections nor apply for the fast-track devolution priority programme," said Cllr Roberts.

"This was to allow as much time as possible to gather and analyse the necessary information, to develop proposals and build consensus where possible.

"It was also to ensure that the local democratic cycle was not interrupted at this vital and historic moment for our county.

"The negotiation of this significant change with the government requires a depth of understanding, engagement and delivery based on an honest electoral mandate and we will uphold that with elections on May 1."

The government published the English Devolution White Paper in December (2024).

And last week the county council – and all councils in t