Opinion: Watford Observer, 4 May 2025: Conservatives call for creation of Watford parish councils | Watford Observer
As I write this article to meet the printing deadline for the newspaper, we do not yet know the Watford results in the county elections but they will probably be known by the time you read this. You can understand my difficulty!
It does seem though that Labour’s terrible mistakes from day one have changed the dynamic of British politics. Normally new governments get a honeymoon period. This also gives the new opposition time to reshape its leadership team, to learn from past mistakes and to start putting together an attractive updated alternative programme for government.
But with the abolition of the winter fuel allowance, the massive tax increases, the halving of the growth forecast and even such local failures as the postponement of the redevelopment of Watford General Hospital, the electorate has rightly lost its patience with Labour already. The voters will no doubt have wanted to make sure the Government gets the message.
As we move on from what may well be our last ever county elections, we should start thinking about what the forthcoming local government re-organisation means for Watford.
Hertfordshire will probably end up with two or three unitary authorities to replace the County/Borough structure we have today. Budgets will be combined and so there will be no firewalls to prevent ‘county’ issues, such as education and social care, taking money away from other local concerns.
We should therefore look at how our local interests can be protected. Watford is virtually surrounded already by local town or parish councils. We have none. Their average population is about 15,000. Watford Borough has just over 100,000 residents so we should start looking at setting up maybe six or seven local parish councils to reflect the interests and identities of our distinct communities. To prepare us for a future with a unitary authority, this work must start immediately.
Stephen Woodard
Chairman, Watford Conservatives
