North Hertfordshire

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North Hertfordshire District
St Mary's Church from Market Place, Hitchin.jpg
St Mary's Church from Market Place in Hitchin, the district's largest town
North Hertfordshire UK locator map.svg
North 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 Letchworth
Established1 April 1974
Government
  TypeNon-metropolitan district council
  BodyNorth Hertfordshire District Council
   MPs Bim Afolami
Oliver Heald
Stephen McPartland
Area
  Total144.9 sq mi (375.4 km2)
  Rank91st (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
  Total134,159
  Rank177th (of 296)
  Density930/sq mi (360/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
   Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
   Religion
List
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
  Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code 26UF (ONS)
E07000099 (GSS)
OS grid reference TL2355435083

North Hertfordshire is one of ten local government districts in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Letchworth Garden City and the largest town is Hitchin. The district also includes the towns of Baldock and Royston and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Part of the district lies within the Chiltern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Contents

The neighbouring districts are East Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield, St Albans, Luton, Central Bedfordshire, South Cambridgeshire and Uttlesford.

History

North Hertfordshire was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time: [2]

The new district was named North Hertfordshire, reflecting its position within the wider county. [3]

Governance

North Hertfordshire District Council
North Hertfordshire Council logo.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Clare Billing,
Labour
since 23 May 2024 [4]
Daniel Allen,
Labour
since 23 May 2024
Anthony Roche
since 18 July 2020 [5]
Structure
Seats51 councillors
Political groups
Administration (25)
  Labour (25)
Other parties (26)
  Liberal Democrats (19)
  Conservatives (7)
Elections
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
4 May 2028
Meeting place
North Hertfordshire Council Offices, Letchworth.jpg
Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3JF
Website
www.north-herts.gov.uk

North Hertfordshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hertfordshire County Council. Much of the district is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government for their areas. [6] [7]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since the 2019 election. Following the 2024 election the council is being run by a Labour minority administration.

The first election to North 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: [8]

Party in controlYears
No overall control 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1994
No overall control 1994–1996
Labour 1996–1999
Conservative 1999–2019
No overall control 2019–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1974 have been: [9] [10]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Bob Flatman [11] Conservative 1 Apr 197419 May 1992
Geoff Woods [12] Conservative 19 May 19921995
David Kearns Labour 19951999
F. John Smith [13] Conservative 19999 May 2010
Lynda Needham Conservative 20 May 20105 May 2019
Martin Stears-Handscomb Labour 21 May 20199 May 2021
Elizabeth Dennis Labour 26 May 202123 May 2024
Daniel Allen Labour 23 May 2024

Composition

Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was: [14]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 25
Liberal Democrats 19
Conservative 7
Total51

The next election is due in May 2028.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2024, the council has comprised 51 councillors representing 25 wards, with each ward elected one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [15] [16]

Premises

When the council was created in 1974, it inherited five sets of offices from the five former authorities, spread across the four towns of Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock and Royston. Initially the new council used the former Hitchin Rural District Council's offices (later called Centenary House) on Grammar School Walk in Hitchin as its headquarters, with the other offices providing additional accommodation. In 1975, the year after the new council's creation, it consolidated most of its functions into a new six-storey building called Council Offices on Gernon Road in Letchworth, designed by Tony Walker of architects Damond Lock, Grabowski and Partners. The building was formally opened on 22 July 1975 by Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. [17] [18] The council rented the building until 2013, when it purchased it for £3.6 million. [19]

Towns and Parishes

North Hertfordshire contains four towns, being Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, and Royston. The district also borders the northern, western and southern edges of Stevenage, and some parts of the latter's urban area lie within North Hertfordshire rather than the borough of Stevenage, notably including much of the Great Ashby area. Knebworth is a post town, but its parish council has not formally declared it a town.

North Hertfordshire contains 35 civil parishes. Six of the smaller parishes do not have parish councils, having instead a parish meeting, being those marked with asterisks(*) below. [20] In addition, the three towns of Baldock, Hitchin, and Letchworth are unparished areas, as no successor parishes were created for those three former urban districts on their abolition in 1974. A Letchworth Garden City Parish was subsequently created in 2005, but was abolished in 2013. [21]

  1. Shares grouped parish council with Newnham
  2. Council styled "Community Council"
  3. Shares grouped parish council with Caldecote
  4. Council styled "Town Council"
  5. Shares grouped parish council with Wallington
  6. Shares grouped parish council with Rushden

Arms

Coat of arms of North Hertfordshire
Notes
Granted 16 January 1975
Crest
On a wreath of the colours two sprigs of oak in saltire fructed Proper enfiling a mural crown Or perched thereon a hooded crow (Corvus cornix cornix) close Proper.
Escutcheon
Chevronny of six Or and Gules a pale Ermine on a chief Vert a fleece between two garbs of barley Or.
Supporters
On either side a hart attired of ten tynes Proper gorged with a coronet pendent therefrom a pentagon Or charged with a cogwheel Sable
Motto
Memores Acte Prudentes Futuri [22]
Former logo used c. 1990-2021. North Hertfordshire District Council.svg
Former logo used c. 19902021.

In 2021 the council adopted a new logo of four hearts (shown in the infobox above) and the style "North Herts Council" instead of its full formal name of "North Hertfordshire District Council". Prior to this, the council had used a logo of the initials "NHDC" in a green and purple square for approximately thirty years. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hertfordshire</span> County of England

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Watford, and the county town is Hertford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royston, Hertfordshire</span> Town in Hertfordshire, England

Royston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hitchin</span> Market town in Hertfordshire, England

Hitchin is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The town dates from at least the 7th century. It lies in the valley of the River Hiz at the north-eastern end of the Chiltern Hills. It is 16 miles (26 km) north-west of the county town of Hertford, and 35 miles (56 km) north of London. The population at the 2021 census was 35,220.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baldock</span> Town in Hertfordshire, England

Baldock is a historic market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The River Ivel rises from springs in the town. It lies 33 miles (53 km) north of London and 14 miles (23 km) north northwest of the county town of Hertford. Nearby towns include Royston to the northeast, Letchworth and Hitchin to the southwest and Stevenage to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Hertfordshire</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

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. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willian, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Willian is a village and former civil parish, adjoining the town of Letchworth, in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. Along with Norton and Old Letchworth, it is one of the original three villages around which the garden city of Letchworth Garden City was created. Despite this, the village retains a separate character to the rest of Letchworth Garden City. In 1931 the parish had a population of 210.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norton, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Norton is a small village and former civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, one of the three original villages which were absorbed into Letchworth Garden City, the other two being Willian and Old Letchworth. The village is known to have existed by 1007, with remains of the medieval settlement visible as earthworks in a field beside the church. However, the history of the village goes back even further than that. In 1901 the parish had a population of 169.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North East Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997 onwards

North East Hertfordshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Oliver Heald, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1983

Hitchin was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hertfordshire County Football Association</span> Governing body of association football in Hertfordshire

The Hertfordshire County Football Association, also simply known as Hertfordshire FA, is the governing body of football in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The Hertfordshire FA was founded accidentally in 1885 after the existing teams agreed to hold a meeting to discuss their position, and ended up affiliating.

Hitchin Rural District was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1974, covering an area in the north of the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Letchworth</span> Town in Hertfordshire, England

Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. It is noted for being the first garden city. The population at the time of the 2021 census was 33,990.

The Comet is a weekly newspaper covering the English towns of Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and Baldock, as well as the surrounding villages in north Hertfordshire and south-east Bedfordshire. It is based in Stevenage and part of the Archant group. The vast majority of its copies are delivered locally or picked up as a free newspaper, but it is also sold. It is published each Thursday in three editions—one concentrates on the Stevenage area, another focuses on Hitchin and a third pays particular attention to Letchworth and Baldock. Nick Gill has been editor since January 2017; previous permanent editors were Darren Isted (2002–14) and John Francis, who retired in June 2016.

The 2019 North Hertfordshire Council election was held on 2 May 2019, at the same time as other local elections across England and Northern Ireland. Of the 49 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council, 16 were up for election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election</span> 2021 UK local government election

The 2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election took place on 6 May 2021 to elect 17 of the 49 members of North Hertfordshire District Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections around the country. This election had originally been due to take place in May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ashwell Rural District was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1935, covering an area in the north-east of the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baldock Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Baldock, Hertfordshire, England

Baldock Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street, Baldock, Hertfordshire, England. The structure, which now operates as an arts and heritage centre, is a locally listed building.

The 1973 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 7 June 1973. It was the first election to North Hertfordshire District Council, and was held at the same time as other local elections across England for the new non-metropolitan district councils that were created under the Local Government Act 1972. The elected councillors initially formed a shadow authority to oversee the transition to the new system, operating alongside the five outgoing district councils until 1 April 1974 when the new district formally came into being.

References

  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – North Hertfordshire Local Authority (E07000099)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 3 March 2023
  3. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 3 March 2023
  4. "Council meeting, 23 May 2024". North Herts Council. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  5. "Council departments". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  6. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 3 March 2023
  7. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  8. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  9. "Council minutes". North Herts Council. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  10. Pre-2005 leaders taken from the council minute books available for inspection at the council offices in Letchworth.
  11. "Bob's top job". Royston and Buntingford Mercury. 28 May 1993. p. 111. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  12. "Council elects new chairman". Letchworth and Baldock Gazette. 22 May 1992.
  13. Suslak, Anne (7 January 2022). "Town pays tribute to 'Mr Royston' who made huge contribution to community". Royston Crow. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  14. "Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England". The Guardian. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  15. "The North Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2023/1024, retrieved 24 May 2024
  16. "New political map for North Herts Council | North Herts Council". www.north-herts.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  17. "A royal welcome". Letchworth and Baldock Citizen Gazette. 24 July 1975. p. 1.
  18. "History". DLG Architects. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  19. Scott, James (12 December 2013). "NHDC buys own Letchworth GC offices for £3.6M". The Comet. Archant. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  20. "Parish Councils and Meetings". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  21. "Council minutes, 22 November 2012". North Hertfordshire District Council. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  22. "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  23. "Council Plan 2022–2027" (PDF). North Herts Council. Retrieved 22 November 2021.

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