Three Rivers is a local government district in southwest Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Rickmansworth.
Three Rivers
Three Rivers District | |
|---|---|
 Three Rivers shown within Hertfordshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | East of England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Hertfordshire |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Rickmansworth |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Three Rivers District Council |
| • MPs | Daisy Cooper Gagan Mohindra Dean Russell |
| Area | |
| • Total | 34.3 sq mi (88.8 km2) |
| • Rank | 224th (of 309) |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total | 93,771 |
| • Rank | 259th (of 309) |
| • Density | 2,700/sq mi (1,100/km2) |
| • Ethnicity[1] | 86.3% White 9.2% S.Asian 1.9% Black 2.3% Mixed Race 0.4% Arab or Other |
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 26UJ (ONS) E07000102 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | TQ0591494481 |
| Website | threerivers |
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by the merger of Rickmansworth Urban District, Chorleywood Urban District and part of Watford Rural District. The confluence of the Chess and the Gade with the Colne in Rickmansworth inspired the district's name.[2] The main offices are located in Rickmansworth in Three Rivers House, opened in 1991.
District councilEdit
Three Rivers District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Leader | |
Chair | |
Leader of Opposition | Ciaran Reed[3], Conservative |
Leader of Labour Group | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 39 councillors |
Political groups | Executive (23)
Opposition (16)
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 6 May 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
 Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth, WD3 1RL | |
| Website | |
| http://www.threerivers.gov.uk | |
Three Rivers is a non-metropolitan district that elects one-third of its councillors every four years and with the fourth year for elections to Hertfordshire County Council. In the 2014 elections new ward boundaries came into effect and the council was reduced from 48 to 39 seats. All seats were contested at that election although future elections will continue to be conducted in thirds.
The Liberal Democrat administration fell to minority status with the resignation of two councillors from the party, in March and April 2018.[7][8]
Following the 2 May 2019 elections, the composition of the council is:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 24 | |
| Conservative | 12 | |
| Labour | 3 | |
| Total | 39 | |
WardsEdit
Three Rivers is composed of thirteen wards, each electing three councillors:
ResponsibilitiesEdit
Three Rivers District Council carries out a variety of district council functions including:
- Benefits - Housing and Council Tax
- Car Parking
- Concessionary Travel
- Council Tax - Administration and Collection
- Elections and Electoral Registration
- Environmental Health (includes Domestic and Commercial Premises)
- Food Safety and Hygiene Complaints
- Noise Pollution and Pest Control
- Housing Administration
- Licensing
- Caravan Sites
- Planning, including Planning Applications, Advice and Appeals
- Public Conveniences
- Health and Leisure Centres
- Refuse Collection
- Recycling
- Tourism and Visitor Information
CompositionEdit
The Council is controlled by the Liberal Democrats, who hold 23 of the 39 seats. The Conservatives form the second-largest faction, with 12, of the seats followed by Labour with 3 seats and Greens with 1 seat.[9]
Three Rivers is a non-metropolitan district that elects one-third of its councillors at any one time with councillor elected three times every four years, with the fourth for elections to Hertfordshire County Council). In the 2016 elections, the council remained under a minority Liberal Democrat administration. The Liberal Democrats regained their majority following a by-election in January 2017. Previously, there were 48 seats: half of the wards elected two councillors each. Nine elected three councillors each. Sarratt ward elected one.
Councillors are divided into classes depending on the year of their retirement. Usually, this will be four years after their election. However, if a ward elects two members at a given election (because of a by-election being held at the same time as a normal election), the councillor with the most votes receives the later of the two available retirement dates.
Political ControlEdit
County councilEdit
For elections to Hertfordshire County Council, the district is divided into six divisions, three of which are held by the Conservatives, and three by the Liberal Democrats:
| Division | Councillor | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbots Langley | Sara Bedford | Liberal Democrats | |
| Croxley | Chris Lloyd | Liberal Democrats | |
| Rickmansworth East and Oxhey Park | Reena Ranger | Conservative | |
| Rickmansworth West | Paula Hiscocks | Conservative | |
| South Oxhey and Eastbury | Christopher Alley | Conservative | |
| Three Rivers Rural | Phil Williams | Liberal Democrats | |
ParliamentEdit
For parliamentary elections, the district is divided across three constituencies. Most of the district is within the South West Hertfordshire constituency, which is considered a safe Conservative seat and held by a Conservative MP (currently Gagan Mohindra) since its creation in 1950. The eastern parts of the constituency, to the north and south of Watford, are part of that borough's constituency, which is a three-way marginal currently held by Conservative Dean Russell, having fluctuated between Labour and the Conservatives. Parts of two wards, north of the M25, are in the St Albans constituency, which is currently held by the Liberal Democrat Daisy Cooper.
| Seat | Wards | MP | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans | Abbots Langley and Bedmond (part), Gade Valley (part) | Daisy Cooper | Liberal Democrats | |
| South West Hertfordshire | Carpenders Park (part), Chorleywood North and Sarratt, Chorleywood South and Maple Cross, Durrants, Moor Park and Eastbury, Oxhey Hall and Hayling (part), Penn and Mill End, Rickmansworth Town, South Oxhey | Gagan Mohindra | Conservative | |
| Watford | Abbots Langley and Bedmond (part), Carpenders Park (part), Gade Valley (part), Leavesden, Oxhey Hall and Hayling (part) | Dean Russell | Conservative | |
| Source: Boundary Commission for England | ||||
RailEdit
Train services are provided by Chiltern Railways and the Metropolitan line of the London Underground.
London Underground stations:
Chiltern Railways stations:
A special fare structure exists as the stations are outside the Greater London boundary.
London Overground stations:
West Coast Main Line stations:
SettlementsEdit
- Abbots Langley
- Chorleywood
- Croxley Green
- Loudwater
- Maple Cross
- Moor Park
- Rickmansworth
- Sarratt
- South Oxhey
Civil parishesEdit
Three Rivers is partially parished. There are six civil parishes in the district:[11]
There are two areas of unparished land: one larger area including Maple Cross and Mill End, Rickmansworth; and a smaller area including part of Loudwater.[11]
FootnotesEdit
- ^ "Neighbourhood Statistics". Office for National Statistics (ONS). Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ "About Us". Three Rivers District Council. May 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2008.
- ^ "Councillors". Three Rivers District Council. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Councillors". Three Rivers District Council. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes, 14 July 2020". Three Rivers District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ "New Chair and Vice-Chair elected at Annual Council". Three Rivers District Council. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "'It was my own decision' Councillor denies he quit because he was to be 'deselected'". Watford Observer. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ "Disillusioned Three Rivers District councillor: 'I want the freedom to say the people I represent are telling me this'". Watford Observer. 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Contacting Your Councillor".
- ^ "Hertfordshire's County Councillors". Hertfordshire County Council. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
External linksEdit
Coordinates: 51°38′19.28″N 0°28′9.46″W / 51.6386889°N 0.4692944°W
