Council and democracy

Public services in Hertfordshire

Many of the services we use each day are provided by a wide range of public bodies; local councils, the Health Service and the Police Service; sometimes individually but often in co-operation with each other.

Local Councils

Local government in Hertfordshire has three layers, each providing different services.

• The County Council provides many vital services across the whole of the county, many of a strategic level. These cover many aspects of everyday life, such as fire and rescue, education, social services and maintaining the county's roads.
• The next tier of local government is provided by the ten District and Borough Councils. They provide different, often more local, services in their District or Borough. Some services they have to provide for the public by law, other services they can opt to provide if they wish.
• The final tier is that of Town and Parish Councils. These Councils provide very local services and they vary dramatically. Larger Town Councils, provide a much wider range of services than small rural parishes. There are 128 parishes in Hertfordshire, which may have a Town or Parish Council or a Parish Meeting

Local NHS health services

• Hertfordshire is covered by the East of England Strategic Health Authority. It is responsible for overseeing public health services. They work with hospital and primary care trusts as well as other health professionals such as doctors, dentists, opticians and pharmacists in all aspects of health care and health promotion.
• The Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) provide mental health services and specialist learning disability services. They also provide some mental health social services on behalf of the County Council for children and adults up to the age of 65.
• The East of England Ambulance Service covers Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. It provides patient transport services to hospitals throughout the area, both emergency and non-emergency journeys every year.
• Primary Care Trusts are responsible for GP practices and for services provided by Community Pharmacists, Dentists and Opticians. They work to improve the health of local people, develop primary and community services, advise the Health Authority and purchase hospital services on behalf of local people. They work closely with the County and District Councils, the Health Authority, the Hertfordshire Partnership Trust and other Primary Care Trusts. In Hertfordshire there are two primary care trusts; West Hertfordshire PCT and East and North Hertfordshire PCT.

Police Service in Hertfordshire

• The Hertfordshire Constabulary provides the policing service to the whole of Hertfordshire. Led by the Chief Constable, it works closely with other agencies and the public, to keep Hertfordshire one of the safest in England.
• Hertfordshire Police Authority exists to make sure that the Constabulary is accountable for providing the most efficient and effective police service to meet local needs. It does not control operational policing - that is the responsibility of the Chief Constable. Its responsibilities include: setting the budget, publishing the Policing Plan and appointing Chief Officers for Hertfordshire Constabulary.