East Hertfordshire Explained

East Hertfordshire is one of ten local government districts in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire. The largest town in the district is Bishop's Stortford, and the other main towns are Ware, Buntingford and Sawbridgeworth. At the 2011 Census, the population of the district was 137,687.[1] By area it is the largest of the ten local government districts in Hertfordshire. The district borders North Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, and Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford in Essex.

In the 2006 edition of Channel 4's "Best and Worst Places to Live in the UK", East Hertfordshire was rated the seventh-best district to live in. In 2012, East Hertfordshire came ninth in Halifax bank's annual survey of most desirable places to live.[2] It came first in this survey in 2020.[3]

History

East Hertfordshire was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of six former districts and most of a seventh, which were all abolished at the same time:[4]

The new district was named East Hertfordshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.[5]

The boundaries of East Hertfordshire have remained largely consistent since 1974, although minor alterations have been made on occasion, particularly along the eastern boundary which largely follows the River Stort to reflect the changing course of the river, and along the border with Stevenage to respond to new developments.[6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Governance

East Herts Council
Logo Pic:East Herts Council.svg
Logo Res:150px
House Type:Non-metropolitan district
Leader1:Maura Connolly
Election1:15 May 2024[11]
Leader2:Ben Crystall
Election2:17 May 2023
Leader3:Richard Cassidy
Election3:2019[12]
Members:50 councillors
Structure1:East_Hertfordshire_District_Council_2023.svg
Structure1 Res:250px
Political Groups1:
Administration (27)
  • Other parties (23)
  • Next Election1:6 May 2027
    Session Room:File:Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford.jpg
    Meeting Place:Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG138EQ

    Hertfordshire has a two-tier structure of local government, with the ten district councils (including East Herts Council) providing district-level services, and Hertfordshire County Council providing county-level services.[13]

    East Herts Council is responsible for a range of local services including refuse and recycling collection, planning, building control, licensing, housing, parking and council tax collection.[14] The council is officially called 'East Hertfordshire District Council', but its corporate branding is 'East Herts Council'.[15] [16]

    Political control

    The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a Green Party and Liberal Democrats coalition, led by Green councillor Ben Crystall.[17] [18]

    The first election to East Hertfordshire District Council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1974. Political control since 1974 has been as follows:[19]

    Party in controlYears
    1974–1976
    1976–1995
    1995–1999
    1999–2023
    2023–present

    Leadership

    The role of Chairman of East Hertfordshire District Council is largely ceremonial. They preside at council meetings and act as first citizen of the district. They are chosen from the councillors but have to maintain a non-political stance, although they do have the right to exercise a casting vote in the case of a tied vote at a meeting. The role of chairman is usually held by a different councillor each year.[20]

    Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2001 have been:[21]

    Councillor Party From To
    Mike Carver 2001 Jan 2006
    Tony Jackson 22 Feb 2006 20 May 2015
    Linda Haysey 20 May 2015 8 May 2023
    Ben Crystall 17 May 2023

    Composition

    Following the 2023 election and changes of allegiance up to December 2023 the composition of the council was:[22] [23]

    Party Councillors
    17
    16
    10
    5
    2
    Total50

    The next elections are due to be held in 2027.

    Premises

    The council is based at Wallfields on Pegs Lane in Hertford. The original building there was a large nineteenth century house, which had been bought in 1950 by Hertford Rural District Council and converted to become its offices. It subsequently became the headquarters of East Hertfordshire District Council following local government reorganisation in 1974, and large modern extensions have subsequently been added to the original house.[24]

    Elections

    See main article: East Hertfordshire District Council elections. Since the last boundary changes in 2023, there have been 50 councillors elected from 26 wards. Elections for the whole council are held every four years.[25]

    Wards

    The 26 wards of East Hertfordshire are:[25]

    Wider politics

    East Hertfordshire straddles three parliamentary constituencies: Hertford and Stortford, North East Hertfordshire and Stevenage.[26]

    Parishes

    The district is entirely parished. See List of civil parishes in Hertfordshire.

    Transport

    The district contains only one motorway - a small stretch of the M11 at Bishop's Stortford. The major roads within the district include:

    A10 - (north-south) from London to Cambridge: enters after Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, leaves before Royston dualled.

    A414 - (WSW-ENE) from Welwyn to Harlow, through Hertford, where it forms the Hertford by-pass.

    A602 - (SE-NW), connecting at A10 at Ware with the A1(M) at Stevenage.

    A120 - (west-east) connecting the A10 at Standon with the M11 at Bishop's Stortford.

    None of the above roads are classified as trunk roads. Therefore, they are maintained by Hertfordshire County Council while responsibility for the M11 rests with National Highways.

    Stansted Airport lies just outside East Hertfordshire, being in the neighbouring district of Uttlesford in Essex. Many of the district's towns have rail services into London at King's Cross, Moorgate, and Liverpool Street.

    Employment

    The district's biggest employer is the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, which has a research and manufacturing centre in Ware. The company also has a large research centre and office in neighbouring Stevenage.

    See also

    References

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    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Customer Service Strategy Evidence 2015 - 2020 . East Hertfordshire District Council . 8 . 26 November 2021.
    2. Web site: Hart in Hampshire remains UK's most desirable place . . 21 December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121223023805/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20816479 . 23 December 2012 . 22 December 2012.
    3. UK's best place to live: The list starts with East Herts . . 31 January 2020 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20201128023614/https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/globalassets/media/press-releases/halifax/2020/halifax-quality-of-life-2020/halifax-quality-of-life-survey-2020.pdf . 28 November 2020 . 31 January 2020.
    4. si. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972. 1972. 2039. 9 May 2023.
    5. si. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973. 1973. 551. 9 May 2023.
    6. Web site: 1982. Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No.433. live. Local Government Boundary Commission For England. https://web.archive.org/web/20180401010921/http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/11416/433-east-hertfordshire-and-stevenage.pdf . 1 April 2018 .
    7. Web site: Local Government Boundary Commission For England. Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 451. live. Local Government Boundary Commission For England. https://web.archive.org/web/20180401004506/http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/11984/451-east-hertfordshire-and-welwyn-hatfield.pdf . 1 April 2018 .
    8. Web site: National Archives. 1992. The Essex and Hertfordshire (County Boundaries) Order 1992. live. legislation.gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092807/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/2119/made . 4 March 2016 .
    9. Web site: LGBCE East Hertfordshire & Stevenage PABR LGBCE Site. 2021-07-04. www.lgbce.org.uk. en.
    10. Web site: The National Archives. 2013. The East Hertfordshire and Stevenage (Boundary Change) Order 2013. legislation.gov.uk.
    11. Web site: Council meeting, 15 May 2024 . East Herts Council . 16 May 2024.
    12. News: Corr . Sinead . East Herts Council appoints Fenland corporate director Richard Cassidy as new boss . 9 May 2023 . Bishop's Stortford Independent . 9 March 2019.
    13. act. Local Government Act 1972. 1972. 70. 3 March 2023.
    14. Web site: Home East Herts District Council. 2021-07-07. www.eastherts.gov.uk.
    15. Web site: 2021-07-01. East Herts Council launches Covid-19 recovery grants. 2021-07-07. Bishop's Stortford Independent. en.
    16. Web site: East Herts Archaeological Society. live. 7 July 2021. East Herts Archaeological Society. https://web.archive.org/web/20091006084709/http://www.ehas.org.uk:80/ . 6 October 2009 .
    17. News: Local elections 2023: Tories lose Dacorum, Hertsmere, East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield . 9 May 2023 . BBC News . 6 May 2023.
    18. Web site: East Herts Council confirms new political leadership . East Herts Council . 17 May 2023 . 17 May 2023.
    19. Web site: Compositions calculator . The Elections Centre . 3 March 2023.
    20. Web site: Chairman of the Council East Herts District Council. 2021-07-06. www.eastherts.gov.uk.
    21. Web site: Council minutes . East Herts District Council . 8 June 2022.
    22. Web site: Local elections 2023: live council results for England. The Guardian.
    23. News: Corr . Sinead . East Herts Green group loses second district councillor as party marks 200 days in office . 14 December 2023 . Bishop's Stortford Independent . 6 December 2023.
    24. News: Wallfields . 10 May 2023 . Hertfordshire Mercury . 13 October 1950 . Hertford . 3.
    25. si. The East Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2023. 2023. 52. 10 May 2023.
    26. Web site: Election Maps . Ordnance Survey . 10 May 2023.