Residents in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, are being asked for their views on a major plan to change how local councils work, which could see the current Borough of Broxbourne Council dissolved and its area become part of a larger unitary authority. The Central Government launched a seven‑week consultation on 5 February 2026 to decide whether the current two‑tier system of county and district/borough councils should be reorganised into single‑tier unitary councils. According to the Local Government Chronicle, this is part of a wider national effort to update how local areas are governed to reduce administrative duplication and save money.
The proposed changes could mean Broxbourne Borough Council is abolished and its area grouped with neighbouring districts under one of the unitary models put forward. Hertfordshire County Council has said moving to unitary arrangements would help the county secure a devolution deal and greater powers through a Mayoral Strategic Authority, while some local politicians — notably Cllr Mark Mills‑Bishop, Leader of Broxbourne Council — have warned about risks to local democracy and accountability. The reorganisation would affect how services such as bin collections and social care are funded and delivered for years to come.
Local people can submit their views via the government’s Citizen Space consultation platform (responses can also be sent by email or post) or by attending local engagement events, including a public meeting scheduled at Bishops’ College in Cheshunt later this month. The consultation runs until 26 March 2026. A final decision on which proposals, if any, will be taken forward is expected by Summer 2026. If approved, elections for shadow authorities are expected in May 2027, with the new unitary authority due to assume full statutory responsibilities on a later vesting day (Hertfordshire’s timeline indicates April 2028 as the likely transfer date).
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