Last night, Broxbourne Borough Council hosted its first public consultation on the future of Hertfordshire’s local government and the turnout was sobering.

Scheduled for 6pm at the Borough Council offices, the meeting drew barely ten to fifteen residents, most of them pensioners. While every contribution is valuable, the lack of wider representation particularly from younger and working families raises serious concerns. These decisions will affect all of us for decades to come, yet those with the greatest stake in the future were largely absent.

Seated at the front were the County representative, the deputy Leader of the council - Cllr Steve Wortley, the Chief Executive, and the Director of Communications, who set the tone for the evening. After introductory remarks, the Chief Executive delivered a presentation that laid out the scope and ambition of the proposed reforms.

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The Government has instructed Hertfordshire’s 11 councils to explore ways of simplifying local government. Right now, we operate under a two-tier system: county council responsibilities (such as social care, highways, education) sit above borough and district responsibilities (such as planning, housing, and waste).

The proposal on the table is to replace this with new unitary councils, single authorities responsible for everything. Three models are being considered:

Each model comes with its own set of pros and cons, which were outlined at length, including potential efficiency gains and governance challenges.

Residents questioned the assumption that the reorganisation would bring significant cost savings. Some asked for concrete examples from other counties where reorganisation had actually delivered the promised efficiencies.

I asked directly about who will fund this restructuring and whether council tax would be affected. The Chief Executive’s answer was clear but concerning: part of the cost will indeed come from council tax, and increases are likely.

Other questions focused on boundaries, the difference between “strategic authorities” and “unitary authorities,” and whether the disruption could affect ongoing local projects.

It was actually pretty cool to sit where councillors usually sit during official council meetings, complete with microphones and all. Being able to speak into the mic to ask questions felt surprisingly empowering. For a moment, I think we all felt like decision-makers. And honestly, I’m sure many of the other residents felt the same way.

It was a small but meaningful reminder that local democracy works best when we take part, not just as spectators, but as voices in the room.

All 11 councils across Hertfordshire are holding similar consultation sessions. Feedback will be gathered, analysed, and by November, Hertfordshire County Council will submit a proposal to Government. The final decision rests not with residents or councils, but with central Government.

This is no small matter. The structure chosen could shape how services are delivered for the next 50 years, from social care to bins, from schools to roads. Whether you feel strongly for or against, it is vital to understand the implications and to make your voice heard.

If you missed last night’s meeting, there is still a chance to take part. An online-only consultation session is TODAY!, and this time there are no excuses.

📢 Register today and make your voice count:

This is a once-in-a-generation decision. Don’t leave it to others to shape the future of Broxbourne and Hertfordshire without your say.

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Cheers,
Editor-in-chief | Emeka Ogbonnaya

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