The planned new unitary authority covering Dacorum and St Albans will be officially named West Hertfordshire Council, following representations from the leaders of the two affected councils.
Change follows local challenge to 'North West Hertfordshire' label
Sally Symington, leader of Dacorum Borough Council, and Paul de Kort, leader of St Albans City & District Council, asked the Government to amend the interim name that had been used in final reorganisation documents. Their intervention has led to the West Hertfordshire name being included in the legislation that creates the new authority.
"The placeholder name is West Herts and represents where we are geographically,"
Symington told a recent council meeting that the term used in the Government's decision derived from an earlier submission and did not reflect Dacorum's location. She said the new designation better represents the area covered by the future council.
When the new council will take over
The new authority will operate as a shadow council from next year and is scheduled to assume full powers in April 2028 as part of the government-led local government reorganisation for Hertfordshire. Under the reforms, Hertfordshire County Council together with existing district and borough councils will be abolished and replaced by four unitary authorities.
- The new West Hertfordshire Council will cover the current areas served by Dacorum Borough Council and St Albans City & District Council.
- The Structural Changes Order, the statutory instrument that implements the reorganisation, is expected to come into force in early 2027.
- Council names can still be changed later: under the Local Government Act 1972, a new name may be adopted if two-thirds of councillors vote in favour.
Local response and next steps
The leaders said the name better reflects local identity and geography. The Structural Changes Order will confirm the name when it is enacted; however, the legislation could still be followed by a further local decision to adopt a different title after the new authority is established in 2028.
| Milestone | Timing |
|---|---|
| Shadow authority begins | Next year |
| Structural Changes Order expected | Early 2027 |
| New unitary takes power | April 2028 |
For residents across Dacorum and St Albans, the renaming is one of several practical matters to follow as the reorganisation progresses: changes to council branding, frontline service arrangements and the make-up of local decision-making bodies will be set out by the incoming shadow authority in the run-up to 2028.
The new name was described as "appropriate" by Cllr de Kort, reflecting a shared view among the two councils' leaderships that the title should match local perceptions of place rather than a placeholder used in earlier paperwork.
As the Structural Changes Order moves through the final stages, residents and local groups will be watching how the new authority frames its identity and communicates changes to services that currently sit with the county and district councils.
