Protecting Welwyn Garden City’s Future:
Why We Must Consider Setting up a Town Council
Local control of local services is under threat.
The Welwyn Garden City Society is working with Team Handside LibDems and Together for WGC. Badges don’t matter – we are all working to make a better Welwyn Garden City. Your Voice = Your Choice! (No Voice = No Choice…)
Here is an evolving summary of what you need to know.
The Proposal: What is Happening?
Hertfordshire’s local government is facing its biggest shake-up in over 50 years with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) . Under the direction of central government, Hertfordshire’s 11 councils (and police commissioner) are being forced to merge into larger “unitary authorities” (i.e. abolishing the current Hertfordshire County Council and borough councils such as Welwyn Hatfield BC. More official LGR information is here: https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/
Never heard of it? You are not alone. The current level of resident engagement has a lot of ‘potential for improvement’ only 0.6% of Hertfordshire residents responded to the recent consultation (and many of those will have been Council staff).
It has been decided that there will be either 2, 3 or 4 unitary authorities. A Hertfordhire submission is being made in late November. However the final decision rests with the government minister.
In Brief – Headline issues:
1. Where Are the Potential Financial Savings for Residents? Will Services Improve?
In short – there are no potential financial savings currently proposed for residents. We appear to be getting less local government but with no saving. The changes are being pushed ahead – let Andrew Lewin MP know what you think: https://www.andrewlewin.co.uk/
The position on service delivery is still being developed – dependent on how many unitary authorities there will be in Hertfordshire.
However – we will focus on what residents can actually do.
2. What Happens to Our Local Assets?
Welwyn Garden City has community facilities, parks, public spaces, and local services built up over decades.
Under a future distant unitary authority:
- Who will control these assets?
- Will they be maintained to current standards?
- If they are deemed ‘unviable’ will a potential Town Council be empowered to take corrective action?
- Could they be sold off to balance budgets?
Information is awaited about how local assets will be protected. A potential WGC Town Council would take the lead in this process to keep and improve our local voice.
3. Residents’ Isolation from Future Decision-Making
The current two-tier system isn’t perfect, but at least we have Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council making decisions about planning, housing, and local services for our community, by people who know our community.
Under a unitary authority covering potentially hundreds of thousands of people:
- Will Welwyn Garden City become just another “suburb” in a bureaucratic mega-council?
- How will our town’s unique character and needs be represented?
- Will remote decision-makers even visit our high street or understand our local challenges?
4. The “Do Nothing” Option
We are being told that “doing nothing is not an option.” But is that really true?
- Other counties have resisted reorganisation
- The two-tier system, while imperfect, has served Hertfordshire for decades
- Why are we being rushed into this with so little consultation?
Change is Coming: Your Voice = Your Choice! (No Voice = No Choice…)
This affects every resident, business, and community organisation in Welwyn Garden City. Don’t let this decision be made without your voice being heard.
Action 1: [COMPLETED] – Community Forum to Consider a Potential Town Council
- [Very well attended – Presentation to be uploaded]
- When: Saturday 22 November 2025, 6pm-7:30pm
- Where: Focalare Centre, 69 Parkway, AL8 6JG
- This is NOT a political event – it’s your chance to listen, ask questions and discuss the future of our town
Action 2: Consider Supporting Proposals to form a Welwyn Garden City Town Town Council
The solution to fill the imminent leadership vacuum is to consider forming a Welwyn Garden City Town Council – a local tier of government that would:
- Ensure local voices are heard in a mega-unitary authority
- Lead improvements to Welwyn Garden City
- Protect and champion our town’s unique heritage and character
- Provide democratic accountability closer to the community
- Build partnerships that add value to our community
A potential town council should be community-driven and business focussed. It should aim to minimise (not add to) bureaucracy. Your Voice = Your Choice! (No Voice = No Choice…)
Most of the localities around Welwyn Garden City already have town/ parish councils. If Welwyn Garden City has no community voice (via a town council) it may not be heard in the new unitary authority.
We believe that cost savings from forming the unitary authorities should help to offset the cost of town councils – which are required to keep local voices. However this will depend on the Government’s final decision in mid 2026.
If any unitary savings are not used to offset the cost to residents, then there would be a small charge for having a Town Council, The amount depends on resolving a lot of questions. Residents are already contributing to many costs such as allotments, community and leisure facilities e.g. Campus West etc. As we all know Welwyn Garden City has no swimming pool. The WGC BID (Business Improvement District) https://www.wonderfulwgc.co.uk/ is financed separately by local businesses and organises local events etc.
We will not know the answers to the many other questions until options are considered after responding to the consultation below.
Action 3: Respond to the Borough Council Consultation
Your Voice = Your Choice! (No Voice = No Choice…)
- Deadline: Now Extended to Sunday 14 December 2025
- Website: https://www.welhat.gov.uk/consultations/community-governance-review-consultation N.B Sadly, this Borough Council website is very short on information.
- The questions are very quick to answer.
- Residents are only being asked to consider (not accept) the potential for a future WGC Town Council.
- If there is sufficient support from residents, then proposals will be developed for a future consultation with residents.
What is the Alternative to a Town Council?
The government offer the alternative of a Neighbourhood Development Committee. This would be a powerless collective who do what they are told by a remote and distant unitary authority.
As a consequence, in a future large unitary authority, Welwyn Garden City residents’ local voice could be over-ruled. It is important to keep and improve our local voice.
Time Is Running Out
The consultation to consider a Welwyn Garden City Town Council closes on Now Extended to Sunday 14 December 2025.
This isn’t about politics – it’s about ensuring that whatever structure emerges serves the people of Welwyn Garden City effectively, affordably, and accountably. Keep & Improve Our Local Voice!
Don’t assume someone else will speak up. This is your community. Your voice matters.
Thank you for reading – ‘do nothing’ is no longer an option, the time for action has arrived.
Your Voice = Your Choice! (No Voice = No Choice…)
