East Hertfordshire

This article is about the district. For the constituency, see East Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency).

Non-metropolitan district in England

East Hertfordshire District

Non-metropolitan district

St Michael's Church, Bishop's Stortford

East Hertfordshire shown within Hertfordshire

Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Constituent country| England
Region| East of England
Non-metropolitan county| Hertfordshire
Status| Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ| Hertford
Incorporated| 1 April 1974
Government

• Type| Non-metropolitan district council
• Body| East Herts Council
• MPs| Kevin Bonavia (L)
Lewis Cocking (C)
Josh Dean (L)
Chris Hinchliff (L)
Area

• Total

| 183.66 sq mi (475.69 km2)
• Rank| 81st (of 296)
Population

(2022)

• Total

| 151,635
• Rank| 143rd (of 296)
• Density| 830/sq mi (320/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)

[1]

• Ethnic groups|

List

* 92.3% White
* 2.8% Mixed
* 2.7% Asian
* 1.3% Black
* 0.9% other

Religion (2021)

[1]

• Religion|

List

* 49.1% Christianity
* 41.8% no religion
* 7.9% other
* 1.2% Islam

Time zone| UTC0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code| 26UD (ONS)
E07000242 (GSS)
OS grid reference| TL3758624322

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.[2] 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.[3] It came first in this survey in 2020.[4]

## History

[edit]

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:[5]

* Bishop's Stortford Urban District
* Braughing Rural District
* Hertford Municipal Borough
* Hertford Rural District (except part within designated area of Stevenage New Town)
* Sawbridgeworth Urban District
* Ware Rural District
* Ware Urban District

The new district was named East Hertfordshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.[6]

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.[7][8][9][10][11]

## Governance

[edit]

East Herts Council

Type
Type|

Non-metropolitan district

Leadership

Chair

Martin Adams,
Liberal Democrat
since 14 May 2025[12]

Leader

Ben Crystall,
Green
since 17 May 2023

Chief Executive (interim)

Helen Standen
since 19 September 2024[13]

Structure
Seats| 50 councillors

Political groups

Administration (27)
Green (17)
Liberal Democrats (10)
Other parties (23)
Conservative (14)
Labour (5)
Reform UK (2)
Independent (2)
Elections

Voting system

| First past the post

Last election

| 4 May 2023

Next election

| 6 May 2027
Meeting place
Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG13 8EQ
Website
www.eastherts.gov.uk

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.[14] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[15]

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.[16] The council is officially called 'East Hertfordshire District Council', but its corporate branding is 'East Herts Council'.[16][17][18]

### Political control

[edit]

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.[19][20]

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:[21]

Party in control | Years

|

| No overall control | 1974–1976
| Conservative | 1976–1995
| No overall control | 1995–1999
| Conservative | 1999–2023
| No overall control | 2023–present

### Leadership

[edit]

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 an additional 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.[22]

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

Councillor | Party | From | To

|
|
|

Mike Carver[23] |  | Conservative | 2001 | Jan 2006
Tony Jackson[24] |  | Conservative | 22 Feb 2006 | May 2015
Linda Haysey[25][26] |  | Conservative | 20 May 2015 | May 2023
Ben Crystall[27] |  | Green | 17 May 2023 |

### Composition

[edit]

Following the 2023 election and by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:[28][29][30]

Party | Councillors

|

| Green | 17
| Conservative | 14
| Liberal Democrats | 10
| Labour | 5
| Reform UK | 2
| Independent | 2
Total  | 50

The next elections are due to be held in 2027.[30]

### Premises

[edit]

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.[31]

## Elections

[edit]

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.[32]

### Wards

[edit]

The 26 wards of East Hertfordshire are:[32]

* Aston, Datchworth and Walkern
* Bishop's Stortford All Saints
* Bishop's Stortford Central
* Bishop's Stortford North
* Bishop's Stortford Parsonage
* Bishop's Stortford South
* Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor
* Braughing and Standon
* Buntingford
* Great Amwell and Stansteads
* Hertford Bengeo
* Hertford Castle
* Hertford Heath and Brickendon
* Hertford Kingsmead
* Hertford Rural
* Hertford Sele
* Hunsdon
* Little Hadham and The Pelhams
* Much Hadham
* Sawbridgeworth
* The Mundens
* Ware Priory
* Ware Rural
* Ware St Mary's
* Ware Trinity
* Watton-at-Stone

### Wider politics

[edit]

East Hertfordshire straddles four parliamentary constituencies: Broxbourne, Hertford and Stortford, North East Hertfordshire and Stevenage.[33]

Seat  | Wards (as they existed in December 2020)[34] | MP  | Party

|
|
|

Broxbourne | Great Amwell, Hertford Heath, Stanstead Abbots  | Lewis Cocking |  | Conservative
Hertford and Stortford | Bishop's Stortford, All Saints, Bishop's Stortford Central, Bishop's Stortford Meads, Bishop's Stortford Silverleys, Bishop's Stortford South, Hertford Bengeo, Hertford Castle, Hertford Kingsmead, Hertford Sele, Hunsdon, Much Hadham, Sawbridgeworth, Ware Chadwell, Ware Christchurch, Ware St. Mary's, Ware Trinity  | Josh Dean |  | Labour
North East Hertfordshire | Braughing, Buntingford, Hertford Rural North, Hertford Rural South, Little Hadham, Mundens and Cottered, Puckeridge, Thundridge & Standon, Walkern, Watton-at-Stone  | Chris Hinchliff |  | Labour
Stevenage | Datchworth & Aston  | Kevin Bonavia |  | Labour

## Parishes

[edit]

Further information: List of civil parishes in Hertfordshire

The district is entirely divided into civil parishes. The five parish councils of Bishop's Stortford, Buntingford, Hertford, Sawbridgeworth, and Ware have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style 'town council'.[35]

## Transport

[edit]

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.

## Media

[edit]

In terms of television, the area is served by BBC London and ITV London with television signals received from the Crystal Palace transmitter [36] BBC East and ITV Anglia can also be received from the Sandy Heath TV transmitter.[37]

Radio stations for the area are:

* BBC Three Counties Radio
* Heart Hertfordshire

The area is served by local newspaper, Hertfordshire Mercury.

## Employment

[edit]

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.[citation needed]

## See also

[edit]

* The Hundred Parishes

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – East Hertfordshire Local Authority (E07000242)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
2. ^ "Customer Service Strategy Evidence 2015 - 2020" (PDF). East Hertfordshire District Council. p. 8. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
3. ^ "Hart in Hampshire remains UK's most desirable place". BBC News. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
4. ^ "UK's best place to live: The list starts with East Herts" (PDF) (Press release). Halifax. 31 January 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
5. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 9 May 2023
6. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 9 May 2023
7. ^ "Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No.433" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission For England. 1982. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 April 2018.
8. ^ Local Government Boundary Commission For England. "Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 451" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission For England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 April 2018.
9. ^ National Archives (1992). "The Essex and Hertfordshire (County Boundaries) Order 1992". legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
10. ^ "LGBCE | East Hertfordshire & Stevenage PABR | LGBCE Site". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
11. ^ The National Archives (2013). "The East Hertfordshire and Stevenage (Boundary Change) Order 2013" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk.
12. ^ "Council meeting, 14 May 2025". East Herts Council. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
13. ^ "Council report, 16 October 2024" (PDF). East Herts Council. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
14. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 3 March 2023
15. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
16. ^ a b "Home | East Herts District Council". www.eastherts.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
17. ^ "East Herts Council launches Covid-19 recovery grants". Bishop's Stortford Independent. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
18. ^ "East Herts Archaeological Society". East Herts Archaeological Society. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
19. ^ "Local elections 2023: Tories lose Dacorum, Hertsmere, East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
20. ^ "East Herts Council confirms new political leadership". East Herts Council. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
21. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 5 March 2025. (Put "East Hertfordshire" in search box to see specific results.)
22. ^ "Chairman of the Council | East Herts District Council". www.eastherts.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
23. ^ "Council minutes, 25 January 2006" (PDF). East Herts Council. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
24. ^ "Council minutes, 22 February 2006" (PDF). East Herts Council. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
25. ^ "Council minutes, 20 May 2015". East Herts Council. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
26. ^ Corr, Sinead (5 April 2023). "East Herts Council leader Linda Haysey reflects on two decades of difficult decisions". Bishop's Stortford Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
27. ^ "Council minutes, 17 May 2023". East Herts Council. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
28. ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
29. ^ Corr, Sinead (6 December 2023). "East Herts Green group loses second district councillor as party marks 200 days in office". Bishop's Stortford Independent. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
30. ^ a b "East Hertfordshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
31. ^ "Wallfields". Hertfordshire Mercury. Hertford. 13 October 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
32. ^ a b "The East Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/52, retrieved 10 May 2023
33. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
34. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
35. ^ "Parish and Town Councils". East Herts Council. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
36. ^ "Full Freeview on the Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) transmitter". May 2004.
37. ^ "Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter". May 2004.

* v
* t
* e

Ceremonial county of Hertfordshire

Boroughs or districts|

* Broxbourne
* Dacorum
* East Hertfordshire
* Hertsmere
* North Hertfordshire
* City of St Albans
* Stevenage
* Three Rivers
* Watford
* Welwyn Hatfield

Major settlements
(cities in italics)|

* Baldock
* Berkhamsted
* Bishop's Stortford
* Borehamwood
* Broxbourne
* Buntingford
* Bushey
* Cheshunt
* Chorleywood
* Harpenden
* Hatfield
* Hemel Hempstead
* Hertford
* Hitchin
* Hoddesdon
* Letchworth
* Potters Bar
* Radlett
* Rickmansworth
* Royston
* Sawbridgeworth
* St Albans
* Stevenage
* Tring
* Waltham Cross
* Ware
* Watford
* Welwyn Garden City
See also: List of civil parishes in Hertfordshire

Topics|

* Hertfordshire County Council
* Elections
* Flag
* Parliamentary constituencies
* European Parliament constituency
* Boundary changes
* Places
* Settlements by population
* Lost settlements
* SSSIs
* Grade I listed buildings
* Grade II* listed buildings
* Scheduled monuments
* History
* Lord Lieutenants
* High Sheriffs
* Schools
* Museums
* Windmills
* King George V Playing Fields

* v
* t
* e

Districts of the East of England

Bedfordshire|

* Bedford
* Central Bedfordshire
* Luton

Cambridgeshire|

* Cambridge
* East Cambridgeshire
* Fenland
* Huntingdonshire
* Peterborough
* South Cambridgeshire

Essex|

* Basildon
* Braintree
* Brentwood
* Castle Point
* Chelmsford
* Colchester
* Epping Forest
* Harlow
* Maldon
* Rochford
* Southend-on-Sea
* Tendring
* Thurrock
* Uttlesford

Hertfordshire|

* Broxbourne
* Dacorum
* East Hertfordshire
* Hertsmere
* North Hertfordshire
* St Albans
* Stevenage
* Three Rivers
* Watford
* Welwyn Hatfield

Norfolk|

* Breckland
* Broadland
* Great Yarmouth
* King's Lynn and West Norfolk
* North Norfolk
* Norwich
* South Norfolk

Suffolk|

* Babergh
* East Suffolk
* Ipswich
* Mid Suffolk
* West Suffolk

* v
* t
* e

Civil parishes in Hertfordshire

Dacorum (partly parished)|

* Aldbury
* Berkhamsted
* Bovingdon
* Chipperfield
* Flamstead
* Flaunden
* Great Gaddesden
* Kings Langley
* Little Gaddesden
* Markyate
* Nash Mills
* Nettleden with Potten End
* Northchurch
* Tring
* Tring Rural
* Wigginton

East Hertfordshire (wholly parished)|

* Albury
* Anstey
* Ardeley
* Aspenden
* Aston
* Bayford
* Bengeo Rural
* Benington
* Bishop's Stortford
* Bramfield
* Braughing
* Brent Pelham
* Brickendon Liberty
* Buckland
* Buntingford
* Cottered
* Datchworth
* Eastwick
* Gilston
* Furneux Pelham
* Great Amwell
* Great Munden
* Hertford
* Hertford Heath
* Hertingfordbury
* High Wych
* Hormead
* Hunsdon
* Little Berkhamsted
* Little Hadham
* Little Munden
* Meesden
* Much Hadham
* Sacombe
* Sawbridgeworth
* Standon
* Stanstead Abbots
* Stanstead St Margarets
* Stapleford
* Stocking Pelham
* Tewin
* Thorley
* Thundridge
* Walkern
* Ware
* Wareside
* Watton-at-Stone
* Westmill
* Widford
* Wyddial

Hertsmere (partly parished)|

* Aldenham
* Elstree and Borehamwood
* Hertsmere Meriden
* Shenley
* South Mimms and Ridge

North Hertfordshire (partly parished)|

* Ashwell
* Barkway
* Barley
* Bygrave
* Caldecote
* Clothall
* Codicote
* Graveley
* Great Ashby
* Hexton
* Hinxworth
* Holwell
* Ickleford
* Kelshall
* Kimpton
* King's Walden
* Knebworth
* Langley
* Lilley
* Newnham
* Nuthampstead
* Offley
* Pirton
* Preston
* Radwell
* Reed
* Royston
* Rushden
* Sandon
* St Ippolyts
* St Paul's Walden
* Therfield
* Wallington
* Weston
* Wymondley

St Albans (partly parished)|

* Colney Heath
* Harpenden Town
* Harpenden Rural
* London Colney
* Redbourn
* Sandridge
* St Michael
* St Stephen
* Wheathampstead

Three Rivers (partly parished)|

* Abbots Langley
* Batchworth
* Chorleywood
* Croxley Green
* Sarratt
* Watford Rural

Welwyn Hatfield (partly parished)|

* Ayot St Lawrence
* Ayot St Peter
* Essendon
* Hatfield
* North Mymms
* Northaw and Cuffley
* Welwyn
* Woolmer Green

Wholly unparished boroughs|

* Broxbourne
* Stevenage
* Watford

See also|

* List of places in Hertfordshire

51°54′N 00°00′W﻿ / ﻿51.900°N -0.000°E﻿ / 51.900; -0.000

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