2021 Hertfordshire County Council election explained

Election Name:2021 Hertfordshire County Council election
Country:Hertfordshire
Type:Parliamentary
Party Colour:yes
Previous Election:2017 Hertfordshire County Council election
Previous Year:2017
Seats For Election:All 78 seats to Hertfordshire County Council
Majority Seats:40
Election Date:6 May 2021
Turnout:37.2%
Party1:Conservative Party (UK)
Leader1:David Williams
Seats Before1:49
Seats1:46
Seat Change1: 5
Popular Vote1:142,051
Percentage1:43.3%
Swing1: 2.6 pp
Party2:Liberal Democrats (UK)
Leader2:Stephen [1]
Seats Before2:18
Seats2:23
Seat Change2: 5
Popular Vote2:86,969
Percentage2:26.5%
Swing2: 1.4 pp
Party4:Labour Party (UK)
Leader4:Judi Billing
Seats Before4:9
Seats4:7
Seat Change4: 2
Popular Vote4:69,612
Percentage4:21.2%
Swing4: 0.7 pp
Party5:Green Party of England and Wales
Leader5:Ben Crystall
Seats Before5:0
Seats5:1
Seat Change5: 1
Popular Vote5:24,508
Percentage5:7.5%
Swing5: 3.5 pp
Map Size:300px
Map2 Image:File:United Kingdom Hertfordshire County Council 2021.svg
Map2 Size:300px
Map2 Caption:Council composition after the election.
Council control
Posttitle:Council control after election
Before Election:Conservative
After Election:Conservative

Elections to Hertfordshire County Council took place on 6 May 2021 alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. All 78 seats to the council were elected.[2]

The Conservative Party won 46 of the 78 seats, winning a majority and thus retaining control of the council,[3] [4] despite making a net loss of five seats, with leader David Williams losing his seat of Harpenden North East.[5] [6] Deputy Leader of the Council Teresa Heritage became acting leader in the aftermath of the election, and Cllr Richard Roberts was ratified as Leader of the Council on 25 May 2021.[7] [8]

Background

In the 2017 election, the Conservative Party held overall control of the council, winning 51 of the 78 seats. The Liberal Democrats were the second largest party with 18 seats. The Labour Party won 9 seats.[9]

Several by-elections took place between the 2017 and 2021 elections:

Party!Winner!colspan="2"
PartyCause
Goffs Oak and Bury Green22 February 2018Robert GordonLesley GreensmythDeath[10] [11]
St Albans North3 May 2018Charlotte HoggRoma MillsResignation due to work commitments[12] [13]
Three Rivers Rural25 October 2018Chris HaywardPhil WilliamsResignation[14] [15]

Roma Mills, councillor for St Albans North, resigned from the Labour Party in April 2020 after Keir Starmer was elected Leader of the Labour Party, citing her disagreement with his changes in policies.[16] Andrew Stevenson, councillor for Hertford All Saints, resigned from the Conservative Party in December 2020 due to his opposition to the two-tier local government structure in Hertfordshire and having failed to be reselected by the Hertford and Stortford Conservatives.[17] [18]

As a result, the Conservatives had 49 councillors and 2 councillors sat as independents, giving the Conservatives a majority of 20 before the 2021 election.

In the 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrats won St Albans for the first time since the party's formation, defeating the incumbent Conservative Member of Parliament.[19]

Campaign

Environment

The Conservatives pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and that by 2030, Hertfordshire County Council would be carbon-neutral and waste would no longer be sent to landfill.[20]

The Liberal Democrats pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 by introducing solar powered lighting on walking and cycling routes, and a £2.5 million fund for charging stations for electric vehicles.[21]

Local government structure

In 2020, Leader of the Council David Williams advocated merging Hertfordshire County Council and the ten district councils into a single unitary authority. Hertfordshire County Council suggested that the proposal could save £140 million per year.[22]

Labour committed to opposing any plans for a Hertfordshire unitary authority.[23]

Transport

Labour supported an increase in the number of late night buses, and would reinstate bus subsidies. The party also supported the reopening of a passing loop on the Abbey Line to increase the railway's capacity, and would push for Oyster card functionality for railway stations close to London. Leader of the Labour group Judi Billing stated that she believed that a 20 mph speed limit should be the default on roads in Hertfordshire.

The Green Party and the Liberal Democrats also supported the introduction of a default 20 mph speed limit on residential roads.[24]

Procedure

The elections were held during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Hertfordshire County Council advised that the ballot boxes should not be opened for 24 hours after the polls closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Borough of Broxbourne began counting the votes on 7 May, while the other nine districts of Hertfordshire began counting on 8 May. Some districts also opted to not count the votes for the district council elections until 9 May to reduce the number of people required to be present, and make social distancing easier.[25]

Summary

Election result

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The Conservatives won 46 of the 78 seats, remaining in control of the council and giving them a majority of 14, despite making a net loss of five seats. The Liberal Democrats remained the second-largest party, winning 23 seats, the highest number of seats since the party's formation. The Greens won a seat for the first time since the 2009 election.[26]

Results by division

Broxbourne

The election was held alongside an election to Broxbourne Borough Council.

North Hertfordshire

The election was held alongside an election to North Hertfordshire District Council.

St Albans

The election was held alongside an election to St Albans City and District Council.

The St Albans North division had been gained by Labour in a 2018 by-election.

Stevenage

The election was held alongside an election to Stevenage Borough Council.

Three Rivers

The election was held alongside an election to Three Rivers District Council.

The Three Rivers Rural division had previously been gained by the Liberal Democrats in a 2018 by-election.

Watford

The election was held alongside an election to Watford Borough Council.

Welwyn Hatfield

The election was held alongside an election to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hertfordshire's County Councillors. 10 May 2021. Hertfordshire County Council. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505152051/https://democracy.hertfordshire.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1. 5 May 2021. live.
  2. Web site: County Council elections/about-the-council/how-the-council-works/county-council-elections.aspx. 2021-02-03. hertfordshire.gov.uk. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Hertfordshire County Council. 8 May 2021. BBC News.
  4. Web site: Election results by party, 6 May 2021. 8 May 2021. Hertfordshire County Council. 6 May 2021 .
  5. Web site: Full results from elections in the Three Rivers district. 9 May 2021. 10 May 2021. Watford Observer. Nathan. Louis.
  6. Web site: Conservative Hertfordshire County Council leader loses Harpenden seat. 9 May 2021. 10 May 2021. Watford Observer. Nathan. Louis.
  7. Web site: Richard Roberts set to become leader of Hertfordshire County Council. 11 May 2021. 12 May 2021. Hemel Today. Deborah. Price.
  8. Web site: New leader of Herts County Council sets out four-year agenda. 25 May 2021. 30 June 2021. Bishop's Stortford Independent. Sinead. Corr.
  9. Web site: Hertfordshire County Council. 30 June 2021. BBC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20180208105500/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/ce1qrvlexwlt/hertfordshire-county-council. 8 February 2018.
  10. Web site: Death of Robert Gordon. 7 October 2017. 30 June 2021. Hertfordshire County Council.
  11. Web site: Goffs Oak & Bury Green by-election - Thursday, 22 February 2018. 30 June 2021. Hertfordshire County Council. 22 February 2018 .
  12. Web site: St Albans North councillor Charlotte Hogg resigns. 28 March 2018. 30 June 2021. Herts Advertiser. Fraser. Whieldon.
  13. Web site: St Albans North by-election - Thursday, 3 May 2018. 30 June 2021. Hertfordshire County Council. 3 May 2018 .
  14. Web site: Conservative councillor Chris Hayward resigns from county council. 11 September 2018. 30 June 2021. Watford Observer. Nathan. Louis.
  15. Web site: Three Rivers Rural by-election - Thursday, 25 October 2018. 30 June 2021. Hertfordshire County Council. 25 October 2018 .
  16. Web site: St Albans councillor Roma Mills resigns from Labour Party. 22 May 2020. 30 June 2021. St Albans Review. Deborah. Price.
  17. Web site: Hertfordshire county councillor resigns from Conservative party. 7 January 2021. 30 June 2021. Watford Observer. Deborah. Price. Nathan. Louis.
  18. Web site: Councillor resigns from local party. 17 December 2020. 30 June 2021. hertford.net.
  19. News: St Albans parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News. 30 June 2021. BBC News.
  20. Web site: Hertfordshire Conservatives have a 'strong team and proven track record'. 1 May 2021. 14 May 2021. Watford Observer. Deborah. Price.
  21. Web site: Liberal Democrat 'greener, fairer, healthier' Hertfordshire. 3 May 2021. 14 May 2021. Watford Observer. Deborah. Price.
  22. Web site: Herts county leader points to political implications of unitary delay in leaked letter to PM. 1 October 2020. 30 June 2021. Welwyn Hatfield Times. Deborah. Price.
  23. Web site: Labour policies for 2021 Hertfordshire County Council elections. 2 May 2021. 30 June 2021. Watford Observer. Deborah. Price.
  24. Web site: Hertfordshire Green Party set out policies for 2021 elections. 3 May 2021. 13 May 2021. Watford Observer. Deborah. Price.
  25. Web site: When will the election results be counted in Herts?. 21 April 2021. 4 July 2021. The Comet. Deborah. Price.
  26. Web site: The Super Thursday Vote 2021: Local Election results in Hertfordshire. 10 May 2021. 4 July 2021. ITV News.