Hertsmere

Hertsmere was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of three former districts and a single parish from a fourth district, which were all abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=12 May 2023}}

• Aldenham parish from Watford Rural District
• Bushey Urban District
• Elstree Rural District
• Potters Bar Urban District

The Potters Bar Urban District (which coincided with the parish of South Mimms) was historically part of Middlesex, but had been transferred to Hertfordshire on 1 April 1965 when Greater London was created and Middlesex County Council abolished.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=London Government Act 1963|year=1963|chapter=33|access-date=14 May 2023}}

The name "Hertsmere" was coined for the new district by combining the common abbreviation of Hertfordshire ("Herts") with "mere", an archaic word for a boundary, referencing the area's location on Hertfordshire's border with Greater London and also the fact that it straddles the historic county boundary between Middlesex and Hertfordshire. The name is reflected in the council's coat of arms, which shows a hart upon the battlements of a boundary wall.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|access-date=12 May 2023}}

The district was awarded borough status on 15 April 1977, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.{{cite web|url=http://www.lgbce.org.uk/__documents/records-and-resources/bulletins-published-by-dclg/change---bulletin-1976-1977.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603044218/http://www.lgbce.org.uk/__documents/records-and-resources/bulletins-published-by-dclg/change---bulletin-1976-1977.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 June 2011|title=Alterations of Area and Status of Local Authorities December 1976 – May 1977|publisher=Department of the Environment|access-date=15 January 2012}}

The borough was originally in the Metropolitan Police District, despite being outside the modern Greater London boundaries. It was transferred to Hertfordshire Constabulary in 2000.

Hertsmere is the location of Elstree Film and TV Studios, which produces such shows as Strictly Come Dancing, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Dancing on Ice, and was the location for the Big Brother house. The studios were bought by Hertsmere Borough Council in 1996 and are now operated via Elstree Film Studios Limited, a council-controlled company.{{cite web |title=Our History |url=https://www.elstreestudios.co.uk/history-elstree-studios/ |website=Elstree Studios |access-date=3 January 2022}}

Hertsmere is also the location for BBC Elstree Centre, the site of EastEnders, Holby City, and formerly the home to Top of the Pops, before its move to BBC TV Centre.

The area was also home to other TV and film studios, including MGM, until this was demolished for residential development, and is now an area called Studio Way.

{{Infobox legislature

| name = Hertsmere Borough Council

| native_name =

| transcription_name =

| legislature =

| coa_pic =

| coa_res =

| logo_pic = File:Hertsmere Borough Council.svg

| logo_res = 150px

| house_type = Non-metropolitan district council

| body =

| houses =

| leader1_type = Mayor

| leader1 = Richard Butler

| party1 =
Labour

| election1 = 15 May 2024{{cite web |title=Council meeting, 15 May 2024 |url=https://hertsmere.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=106&MId=11428 |website=Hertsmere Borough Council |access-date=16 May 2024}}

| leader2_type = Leader

| leader2 = Jeremy Newmark

| party2 =
Labour

| election2 = 17 May 2023

| leader3_type = Managing Director

| leader3 = Sajida Bijle

| party3 =

| election3 = 25 January 2020{{cite news |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Charlotte |title=First woman and member of BAME community appointed as managing director of Hertsmere Borough Council |url=https://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/22387933.first-woman-member-bame-community-appointed-managing-director-hertsmere-borough-council/ |access-date=14 May 2023 |work=Welwyn Hatfield Times |date=26 January 2020}}

| members = 39 councillors

| house1 =

| house2 =

| structure1 =

| structure1_res = 250px

| structure2 =

| structure2_res =

| political_groups1 =

;Administration (22)

:{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}}| border=darkgray}} Labour Co-op (14)}}

:{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrats (8)}}

;Other parties (17)

:{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Conservative (16)}}

:{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} Independent (1)}}

| committees1 =

| committees2 =

| joint_committees =

| voting_system1 =

| voting_system2 =

| last_election1 = 4 May 2023

| next_election1 = 2027

| session_room = File:Hertsmere Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.jpg

| session_res =

| meeting_place = Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, WD6{{nbsp}}1WA

| website = {{URL|www.hertsmere.gov.uk/}}

| footnotes =

}}

{{Infobox coat of arms

|shield = Or on an embattled Wall of grey stone throughout in base Proper pierced with a gate therein a portcullis raised Sable a hart royal at gaze Proper.

|crest = On a Wreath Argent and Azure in front of an Oak Tree proper fructed Or a demi Hart Royal guardant proper gorged with a Mural Crown Or and resting the sinister forehoof on a Cinematograph Spool loaded with film proper.

|badge = On a Roundel Or environed of a Garland of Oak proper fructed Or issuant from an embattled Wall of grey stone throughout in base a Hart Royal's Head affronty proper.

|supporters = On either side a Hart Royal guardant proper gorged with a Mural Crown Or that on the dexter charged on the shoulder with an Artist's Palette proper and that on the sinister with a Potter's Wheel Or.

|motto = Do Well And Fear Not

|notes = Granted 5 September 1975 {{cite web|url=http://civicheraldry.co.uk/east_of_england.html#hertsmere%20bc |title= HERTSMERE BOROUGH COUNCIL (HERTS) |publisher=Robert Young |accessdate=31 October 2019}}}}

Hertfordshire has a two-tier structure of local government, with the ten district councils (including Hertsmere Borough Council) providing district-level services, and Hertfordshire County Council providing county-level services. In some areas there is an additional third tier of civil parishes.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|access-date=3 March 2023}}

The council went under no overall control at the 2023 election. Prior to that election the Conservatives had held a majority of the seats on the council since 1999.{{cite news |title=Local elections 2023: Tories lose Dacorum, Hertsmere, East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-65472154 |access-date=9 May 2023 |work=BBC News |date=6 May 2023}} Whilst the Conservatives were still the largest party on the council, a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition formed to take control of the council instead. Labour group leader Jeremy Newmark became leader of the council and Liberal Democrat group leader Paul Richards became deputy leader of the council.{{cite web |title=Council meeting, 17 May 2023 |url=https://hertsmere.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/763263 |website=Hertsmere Borough Council |access-date=18 May 2023}}

The first elections to Hertsmere District Council were held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control since 1974 has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=5 March 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Hertsmere" in search box to see specific results.){{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/local_council/08/html/26ue.stm | title = Hertsmere | access-date = 2009-10-23 | publisher = BBC News Online | date=2008-04-19}}

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Hertsmere, and is usually held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1996 have been:

Following the 2023 election and a subsequent change of allegiance in March 2025, the composition of the council was:{{cite news |title=Hertsmere election result |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2023/england/councils/E07000098 |access-date=14 May 2023 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web |title=Hertsmere |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=hertsmere |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=29 March 2025}}

The next election is due to be held in 2027.

The council inherited offices at Rudolph Road in Bushey, Darkes Lane in Potters Bar, and Shenley Road in Borehamwood from its predecessor authorities. A new building, called Hertsmere Civic Offices, was built in 1975–1976 on Elstree Way in Borehamwood to serve as the council's principal offices and meeting place.Planning Application 75/209: Offices and ancillary accommodation of Hertsmere District Council at Elstree Way, Borehamwood. Permission granted 3 April 1975. (Referenced in planning application TP/13/0014.)

{{main|Hertsmere Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2019, the council comprises 39 councillors elected from 16 wards, each of which returns either two or three councillors. Elections for the whole council are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Hertsmere (Electoral Changes) Order 2018|year=2018|number=535|access-date=14 May 2023}}

The borough's 16 wards are:

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Aldenham East
• Aldenham West
• Bentley Heath and The Royds
• Borehamwood Brookmeadow
• Borehamwood Cowley Hill
• Borehamwood Hillside
• Borehamwood Kenilworth
• Bushey Heath
• Bushey North
• Bushey Park
• Bushey St James
• Elstree
• Potters Bar Furzefield
• Potters Bar Oakmere
• Potters Bar Parkfield
• Shenley

{{div col end}}

Prior to 1983, the borough was included in the parliamentary constituency of Hertfordshire South. In 1983 the constituency was renamed Hertsmere, whose current MP is Oliver Dowden of the Conservative Party, who served as deputy Prime Minister from 2023 to 2024.

Until 2024, the constituency was coterminous with the district, but since the boundary changes which took effect at that election, this has no longer been the case.

All but one of the wards in Hertsmere district still belong to the constituency of the same name, but Bushey North ward in Hertsmere district is instead now part of Watford constituency, whose current MP is Matt Turmaine of the Labour Party. All but one of the wards in Hertsmere constituency are part of Hertsmere district, but the seat now also includes the Northaw & Cuffley ward from Welwyn Hatfield district.{{cite web|url=https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/the-2023-review-of-parliamentary-constituency-boundaries-in-england-volume-two-constituency-names-designations-and-composition/the-2023-review-of-parliamentary-constituency-boundaries-in-england-volume-two-constituency-names-designations-and-composition-eastern/#lg_hertsmere-cc-73256|title=The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern|access-date=27 August 2024|website=Boundary Commission for England}}

In 2003, the Borough Council started to present a small number of Civic Awards to people who live or work in Hertsmere 'in recognition of work undertaken for the benefit of residents of the Borough'.

{{Pie chart|caption=Faith in Hertsmere (2021)[https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000098/], Accessed 30 June 2024|label1=Christian|value1=41.8|color1=Dodgerblue|label2=No Religion|value2=24.2|color2=honeydew|label3=Jewish|value3=17.0|color3=darkcyan|label4=Hindu|value4=4.9|color4=coral|label5=Muslim|value5=3.8|color5=green|label6=Buddhist|value6=0.6|color6=darkorchid|label7=Sikh|value7=0.2|color7=yellow|label8=Other Religions|value8=1.0|color8=deeppink|label9=Religion not Stated|value9=6.5|color9=lightgrey}}

The borough contains five parishes:

• Aldenham (includes Radlett)
• Elstree and Borehamwood (Town)
• Hertsmere Meriden
• Shenley
• South Mimms and Ridge

Four of the parishes have parish councils, with Hertsmere Meriden instead having only a parish meeting. Bushey and Potters Bar are unparished areas, being directly administered by Hertsmere Borough Council.

The 2011 census showed that Hertsmere was the second most Jewish local authority area in the United Kingdom, with Jews comprising one in seven residents (the area with the highest Jewish population being the London Borough of Barnet).[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rpt-religion.html#tab-Differences-in-religious-affiliation-across-local-authorities Office for National Statistics 1 June 2006] accessed 1 January 2012 In the 2021 census Hertsmere overtook Barnet to become the most Jewish local authority area, with Jews comprising one in every six residents. Jews form a plurality of the population in two wards of the borough, Bushey Heath and Elstree.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.hertsmere.gov.uk Hertsmere Borough Council official website]

{{Hertfordshire}}

{{East_of_England}}

{{Civil parishes of Hertfordshire}}

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{{commons category|Hertsmere}}

Category:Districts of Hertfordshire

Category:Boroughs in England