Hertfordshire local elections: What has changed?
We take a look at the key decisions from Thursday
After Thursday's local elections, we can now take a look at what has changed in Hertfordshire.
Here is a round-up of the gains and losses around the county in the elections for Hertfordshire County Council:
BROXBOURNE
In Broxbourne – where the ballots were counted on Friday – all six of the county council seats were held by the Conservatives.
Leader of Broxbourne Borough Council Cllr Lewis Cocking took the Hoddesdon North seat, which had been vacated by fellow Tory Cllr Tim Hutchings, who had been the county coucil’s executive member for public health and prevention.
Cllr Paul Mason – chair of Broxbourne Conservative Association – says the ‘clean sweep’ in the six county council seats reflects the ‘fantastic job’ that’s been done by the council’s Conservative administration – despite reductions in county council funding.
DACORUM
Before the election eight of the 10 county council seats in Dacorum had been held by Conservatives – with two Lib Dems.
But now the Tories have just five of those seats.
The Conservatives held on to Bridgewater, Hemel Hempstead East , Hemel Hempstead North East , Hemel Hempstead North West and Kingsley Langley.
And they include the seats held by county council cabinet members Cllr Terry Douris and Cllr Richard Roberts, as well as Dacorum Borough Council leader Cllr Andrew Williams.
But the Lib Dems took Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead Town fro the Tories, as well as holding on to Hemel Hempstead St Pauls and Tring.
Cllr Jan Maddern – already an independent member of Dacorum Borough Council – took the previously Conservative Hemel Hempstead South East seat, with 1405 votes.
EAST HERTS
In East Herts eight of the area’s 10 divisions were held by the Conservatives – but they lost Bishop’s Stortford East to Lib Dem Calvin Horner.
And the Hertford All Saints division – where sitting councillor Andrew Stevenson had left the Tory Party to stand as an Independent – was won by the Green Party.
Cllr Jan Goodeve – a member of East Herts District Council – had been hoping to turn the seat Blue again.
But she – and Andrew Stevenson – were beaten by Green Party candidate Ben Crystall, who polled 1819 votes. That’s 257 votes more than second-placed Cllr Goodeve.
Across the county there were 62 Green Party candidates in the county council elections – but just the one win.
HERTSMERE
Until the election all seven of the county council seats in Hertsmere were held by the Conservatives, with county councillors including the leader of Hertsmere Borough Council Morris Bright (Potters Bar West and Shenley).
But in Thursday’s poll the Tories held on to just four of their seats, in Bushey South, Potters Bar East, Potters Bar West and Shenley and Watling.
In Borehamwood North and Borehamwood South – where sitting Conservative councillors Susan Brown and Alan Plancey did not stand – the seats were taken by Labour.
Cllr Michelle Vince took Borehamwood North and Cllr Richard Butler took Borehamwood South. Both are already members of Hertsmere Borough Council.
Meanwhile sitting Conservative councillor Jane West failed to hold on to the Bushey North.
It was taken by Liberal Democrat Laurence Brass who received 2160 votes, which was 770 more than second-placed Cllr West.
NORTH HERTS
In North Herts – where there are nine county council seats – the Conservatives held on to five of the seven divisions they had held.
But they lost two seats – including Hitchin South, which had been held by executive member for growth, infrastructure, planning and the economy Cllr Derrick Ashley.
Conservatives Michael Muir (Baldock and Letchworth East), David Barnard (Hitchin Rural) and Richard Thake (Knebworth and Codicote) all kept their seats.
Conservative cabinet member Cllr Terry Hone (Letchworth South), executive member for community safety and waste management was also returned to County Hall.
And so was Fiona Hill (Royston East and Ermine) – whose result was the last in the county to be declared, just after 11pm on Saturday.
Leader of the county council’s Labour group Judi Billing held on to Hitchin North.
And she will now be joined by Labour candidate Tina Bhartwas, who won the Letchworth North seat, that had been held by Conservative Simon Bloxham. She won the contest with a majority of just 46 votes.
Liberal Democrat Steve Jarvis kept hold of the Royston West and Rural division.
And it was fellow Lib Dem Paul Clark who took the Hitchin South seat that had been held by Cllr Ashley – by a margin of just 42 votes.
ST ALBANS
In St Albans the shock result of the election was the failure of county council leader Cllr David Williams to hold on to his Harpenden North East seat – losing to Lib Dem Paul De Kort by just 41 votes.
It was the only county council seat in the St Albans area that the Conservatives lost.
As a result of other gains and losses, the Conservatives still hold four of the 10 county council seats decided in St Albans. But the Liberal Democrats now hold six – with Labour no longer having a single seat.
Until the election four of the 10 county council seats in the St Albans area had been held by the Conservatives, four by the Lib Dems, one by Labour and one by Independent Roma Mills, formerly a Labour councillor who did not stand in this election.
Deputy county council leader Cllr Teresa Heritage held Harpenden South West in the May 6 election. Cllr Annie Brewster held Harpenden Rural. Stella Nash held on to the St Stephen’s seat, that had been held by Sue Featherstone.
And the London Colney seat – that had been held by Labour councillor Dreda Gordon – was taken by Conservative Sarah Tallon.
But it was the Liberal Democrats who made the county council gains in St Albans – increasing their presence from four seats to six.
As well as gaining Harpenden North East, Liberal Democrat candidates – all sitting county councillors – held on to Colney Heath and Marshalswick, St Albans Central, St Albans East and St Albans South.
And Liberal Democrat Helen Campbell also took the St Albans North seat, which had been vacated by Cllr Roma Mills.
STEVENAGE
Back in 2017, Labour won the Old Stevenage division in Stevenage by just 15 votes.
But in the May 6 elections it has been picked up by the Conservatives.
Graham Lawrence was elected to the seat with 1827 votes – 146 more than second placed Richard Henry (Labour).
It was the only political change in the six Stevenage seats on Hertfordshire County Council.
Leader of Labour Stevenage Borough Council Sharon Taylor retained the Bedwell seat. And Liberal Democrat Robin Parker held on to Chells.
Conservative Cllr Phil Bibby – who is the county council’s executive member for highways and environment – retained the St Nicholas seat.
Cllr Adam Mitchell, Conservative, kept Broadwater. And new county councillor Roni Hearn retained Shephall for the Tories, a seat previously held by Michael Hearn.
That means that the Conservatives now have four of the six county determined by voters in Stevenage, with Labour and Liberal Democrats having one each.
THREE RIVERS
In the Three Rivers area – where there are six county council seats – the Liberal Democrats held on to three seats.
Sara Bedford retained the Abbots Langley seat. Phil Williams kept the Three Rivers Rural seat. And Chris Lloyd was elected to Croxley, that had previously been held by Lib Dem Steve Drury.
Conservative Ralph Sangster – the county council’s executive member for resources and performance – did not stand for election on May 6.
But the Rickmansworth West seat was retained for the Tories by candidate Paula Hiscocks.
Meanwhile the Rickmansworth East and Oxhey seat – previously held by Conservative Frances Button – was kept Blue by winning candidate Reena Ranger.
The Conservatives also gained South Oxhey and Eastbury seat, which had been held by Labour’s Joan King.
WATFORD
In Watford all six of the county council seats remained politically the same – with four Liberal Democrats and two Labour.
Five of the six seats were also won by sitting councillors. The only new face is Stephen Cavinder, who retained the Meriden Tudor seat for the Liberal Democrats.
Elsewhere Lib Dems Mark Watkin and Tim Williams held Nascot Park and Woodside Stanborough respectively
And leader of the county council’s Liberal Democrat group Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst held on to Central Watford and Oxhey.
Labour’s Nigel Bell kept his West Watford seat and Asif Khan will remain the Labour representative in North Watford
WELWYN HATFIELD
Across Welwyn Hatfield the Conservatives gained four county council seats – taking two from the Liberal Democrats and two from Labour.
That means the Conservatives now hold seven of the eight county council seats decided by the area’s residents.
And of those eight seats, only Hatfield South – retained by sitting councillor Paul Zukowskyj – remains Liberal Democrat.
Leader of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Tony Kingsbury won the Welwyn seat that had been vacated by fellow Tory Richard Smith, who stepped down this year after representing the division for 28 years.
Cllr Fiona Thomson – who is the borough council’s executive member for governance, public health and climate change – gained the Handside and Peartree division.
She took the seat from sitting Liberal Democrat county councillor Nigel Quinton, with a majority of 47 votes.
Meanwhile Hatfield North was taken from sitting Labour county councillor Margaret Eames-Peterson by Conservative James Bond – with a majority of less than 100.
Conservatives also gained Haldens division, while also holding on to Hatfield East and Hatfield Rural.
Cllr Stephen Boulton will continue to represent Hatfield Rural, but Hatfield East will be represented by Peter Hebden.