The 2025 Hertfordshire County Council election was held on 1 May 2025 to elect members to Hertfordshire County Council in Hertfordshire, England. 78 councillors, one from each ward, were elected using the first-past-the-post voting system. This was on the same day as other local elections. Hertfordshire was one of 14 county councils to hold elections in 2025, after the government delayed several local elections to 2026 as part of a plan to reorganise local government.
Prior to the election, the council was under Conservative control, led by councillor Richard Roberts of King's Langley. Following the election the council went under no overall control, with the Liberal Democrats being the largest party. They subsequently formed a minority administration, with Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Jarvis of Royston West and Rural being appointed the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 20 May 2025.
Background
In the 2021 election, the Conservatives won 46 seats, giving them a majority and control of the council. The Liberal Democrats were the second biggest party with 23 seats, followed by Labour with 7 seats and the Greens with 1 seat. The Hemel Hempstead South East seat was won by Jan Maddern, a former Conservative who ran as an independent. The council leader, Conservative councillor Richard Roberts of King's Langley, was elected on 25 May 2021.
Several by-elections took place between the 2021 and 2025 elections: +By-electionsDivisionDateIncumbentWinnerCausePartyCouncillorPartyCandidateHitchin South10 March 2022Paul ClarkKeith HoskinsDeathHitchin North9 February 2023Judi BillingIan AlbertDeathHarpenden Rural7 December 2023Annie BrewsterAllison WrenAppointed High Sheriff of HertfordshireBedwell29 August 2024Sharon TaylorEllie PlaterResigned after receiving a peerage and appointed to the House of Lords
In July 2024, councillor Sara Bedford of Abbots Langley left the Liberal Democrats after a dispute with local party leadership and served the rest of her term as an independent. In the 2024 general election, the Labour Party won seven of the Hertfordshire seats from the Conservatives (Hemel Hempstead, Hertford & Stortford, Hitchin, North East Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Watford and Welwyn Hatfield). The Liberal Democrats won the new seat of Harpenden and Berkhamsted and retained St Albans while the Conservatives retained Broxbourne, Hertsmere and South West Hertfordshire. Overall, of the Hertfordshire seats, Labour won seven, the Conservatives won three and the Liberal Democrats won two. That same month, councillor Ron Tindall of Hemel Hempstead St Paul's was the recipient of misconduct allegations, which he denied. An independent report released in October concluded that Tindall had "made various misogynistic remarks which were completely inappropriate and disrespectful to women" as well as "creat[ing] an uncomfortable and intimidating environment for the complainant to such an extent that they didn’t feel comfortable being left alone in a room with [him]". He was suspended from the Liberal Democrat group on the county council in March 2025.
In October 2024, councillor James Bond of Hatfield North died following a long illness, leaving the seat vacant. No by-election was held. In December, councillor Michelle Vince of Borehamwood North resigned from the Labour Party after being deselected as the candidate for her ward in the upcoming election, serving the rest of her term as an independent. In January 2025, councillor Sunny Thusu of Haldens had the whip removed after it was revealed that he had cheated on his medical school exams in 2023. He was subsequently expelled from the Conservative group on the council and sat the rest of his term as an independent. In March 2025, councillor Graham McAndrew of Bishop's Stortford Rural left the Conservatives and joined Reform UK.
Previous council composition After 2021 election Before 2025 election Party Seats Party Seats 46 42 23 22 7 6 1 1 1 5 0 1Vacant Vacant 1
Changes December 2021: Paul Clark (Liberal Democrats) dies – by-election held March 2022 March 2022: Keith Hoskins (Liberal Democrats) wins by-election, holds Hitchin South November 2022: Judi Billing (Labour) dies – by-election held February 2023 February 2023: Ian Albert (Labour) wins by-election, holds Hitchin North October 2023: Annie Brewster (Conservative) resigns – by-election held December 2023 December 2023: Allison Wren (Liberal Democrats) wins by-election, gains Harpenden Rural from Conservatives July 2024: Sharon Taylor (Labour) resigns – by-election held August 2024; Sara Bedford (Liberal Democrats) leaves party to sit as an independent August 2024: Ellie Plater (Labour) wins by-election, holds Bedwell October 2024: James Bond (Conservative) dies – seat left vacant until 2025 election January 2025: Sunny Thusu (Conservative) suspended from party; Michelle Vince (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent March 2025: Ron Tindall (Liberal Democrats) suspended from party; Graham McAndrew (Conservative) leaves party to join Reform UK
Summary Overview Reflecting national trends, Reform UK experienced a significant increase in representation, winning 14 seats, the party's first-ever elected seats in the county council's elections. The Conservatives lost over half its seats and overall control of the council, bringing an end to 26 years of majority rule. The Liberal Democrats emerged as the largest party on the council for the first time in the council's history. The Green Party won 5 seats, an increase of 4, and Labour made a net loss of 2 seats . No party achieved a majority, bringing the council into no overall control. After the election, the Liberal Democrats formed a minority administration. On 20 May, they appointed councillor Steve Jarvis of Royston West and Rural as leader of the council and councillor Laurence Brass of Bushey North as chairman of the council.
On 10 May, the Reform UK councillors appointed councillor Doug Bainbridge of Old Stevenage as their group leader on the council, with councillor David Herring of Hemel Hempstead North West being appointed as their deputy leader. The Green Party also appointed a new group leader, councillor Kirsty Taylor-Moran of Ware North, and deputy leader, councillor Matt Fisher of St Albans Central. On 20 May, the day of the council's annual meeting, councillor Tina Bhartwas of Letchworth North left the Labour Party and joined the Liberal Democrats, citing dissatisfaction over the policies of the national Labour government. Councillor Nigel Bell of West Watford, the leader of the council's Labour group, called Bhartwas' move a "blow", while Conservative group leader councillor Richard Roberts of King's Langley criticised Bhartwas, claiming that she had "betrayed" her residents and calling for her to resign and face a by-election.
On 7 October, councillor Caroline Clapper of Watling left the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK. She rejected calls for her to resign and face a by-election, stating it would cause a "significant and unnecessary cost to the taxpayer". In February 2026, councillor Peter Colley of Bedwell left Reform UK and joined Restore Britain. In March 2026, councillor Tony Hill of Flamstead End and Turnford resigned with no reason given, a by-election for his seat will be held on 7 May alongside the elections to Broxbourne Borough Council.
Election result
Results by division Broxbourne
+Broxbourne district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/–Conservative 4 2 7,584 38.0 –24.2Reform UK 2 2 7,060 35.3 N/ALabour 0 2,731 13.7 –10.7Green 0 1,242 6.2 +2.1Liberal Democrats 0 1,060 5.3 +2.9TUSC 0 181 0.9 N/ABritish Democrats 0 87 0.4 N/AUKIP 0 28 0.1 N/ATotal 6 19,97327.6Registered electors72,385
Division results
Dacorum
+Dacorum district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/–Liberal Democrats 4 9,828 27.6 –2.4Conservative 3 2 9,468 26.6 –15.5Reform UK 2 2 8,761 24.6 +24.4Independent 1 1,183 3.3 –0.2Labour 0 3,621 10.2 –4.8Green 0 2,680 7.6 –1.6Transform 0 33 0.1 N/ATotal1035,57430.9Registered electors115,179
Division results
East Hertfordshire
+East Hertfordshire district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/–Green 4 3 7,735 20.3 +5.4Conservative 3 5 10,931 28.7 –21.8Liberal Democrats 2 1 5,361 14.1 –0.6Reform UK 1 1 10,375 27.2 +27.0Labour 0 3,639 9.5 –9.1TUSC 0 34 0.1 ±0.0ADF 0 24 0.1 –0.2Heritage 0 11 <0.1 N/ATotal1038,11032.8Registered electors116,299
Division results
Hertsmere
+Hertsmere district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/–Conservative 4 8,710 35.8 –14.3Reform UK 2 2 5,800 23.8 N/ALiberal Democrats 1 4,148 17.0 +2.0Labour 0 2 3,609 14.8 –12.0Green 0 1,124 4.6 –0.9Independent 0 965 4.0 +1.7Total724,35630.8Registered electors79,008
Division results
North Hertfordshire
+North Hertfordshire district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 4 2 10,175 27.0 +4.7Labour 3 1 7,630 20.3 –4.7Conservative 2 3 9,243 24.6 –18.7Reform UK 0 7,422 19.7 +19.5Green 0 3,065 8.1 –0.5CPA 0 93 0.2 –0.2Total937,62836.9Registered electors101,857–
Division results
St Albans
+St Albans district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/–Liberal Democrats 8 2 18,710 45.6 –0.6Conservative 1 3 8,862 21.6 –13.1Green 1 1 4,537 11.0 +2.9Reform UK 0 6,263 15.3 +15.0Labour 0 2,665 6.5 –4.2Communist 0 25 0.1 N/ATotal1041,06236.5Registered electors112,394
Division results
Stevenage
+Stevenage district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Reform UK 5 5 7,086 34.8 +34.5Liberal Democrats 1 2,978 14.6 –0.5Labour 0 1 4,896 24.0 –12.3Conservative 0 4 3,928 19.3 –21.3Green 0 1,325 6.5 +0.8TUSC 0 176 0.9 –0.6Total620,44331.0Registered electors66,021
Division results
Three Rivers
+Three Rivers district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 3 7,377 31.9 –5.4Conservative 3 6,465 28.0 –12.1Reform UK 0 5,050 21.9 N/AGreen 0 2,118 9.2 +0.8Labour 0 1,592 6.9 –6.6Independent 0 501 2.2 +1.7Total623,10333.4Registered electors69,237
Division results
Watford
+Watford district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 1 9,091 45.1 +5.3Labour 1 1 3,716 18.4 –11.5Reform UK 0 4,051 20.1 +19.8Conservative 0 2,058 10.2 –16.8Green 0 1,102 5.5 +3.5TUSC 0 126 0.6 –0.1Heritage 0 26 0.1 –0.1Total620,17027.1Registered electors74,484
Division results
Welwyn Hatfield
+Welwyn Hatfield district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 2 5 6,864 26.9 –21.9Reform UK 2 2 6,746 26.5 N/ALiberal Democrats 3 2 5,511 21.6 –1.4Labour 1 1 4,743 18.6 –7.1Green 0 1,547 6.1 +4.2TUSC 0 42 0.2 N/AHeritage 0 25 0.1 N/ATotal825,47830.5Registered electors83,532
Division results
By-elections
See also Hertfordshire County Council elections
Notes
References