About us

Hertfordshire is a large county in South-East England whose southern border is just 12 miles from the centre of London. The county has a population of just under 1.2 million residents. Other counties that surround Hertfordshire are Buckinghamshire (west), Bedfordshire (north-west), Cambridgeshire (north-east), Essex (east) and London.

The county is full of contrasts which blend together to create a superb quality of life for residents and visitors. Thriving modern towns have developed amongst historic market towns and picturesque villages.

The largest town is Watford, situated within the M25 motorway and has a thriving shopping centre and business parks. Other large, historic towns include St Albans, Hitchin and Hertford. Mature “new” towns include Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City.

Hertfordshire has a strong diverse economy with particularly important sectors in pharmaceuticals, space technology, high-value engineering, financial services, telecommunications, film, media and creative industries. Employment and skills levels are high with over half of Hertfordshire’s workforce employed in knowledge-based industries. Hertfordshire was one of the first places to be approved for a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The LEP is now well established and is a respected champion of skills development and continued economic growth with strong business, academia, and Local Government representation, and a clear ambition to be a leading economic centre.

Hertfordshire is well connected nationally and internationally with four national motorways, three neighbouring international airports and two mainline rail routes.

Hertfordshire, County of Opportunity

The Council’s Corporate Plan entitled ‘Hertfordshire - County of Opportunity' identifies the main ambitions and commitments that will provide the foundations for our activity between now and 2025. The corporate plan sets out our key priorities for the county and how we intend to deliver our vision for Hertfordshire.