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Not to be confused with Hertsmere (UK Parliament constituency).

Borough of Hertsmere
Shown within Hertfordshire
Geography
Status:	Borough
Region:	East of England
Admin. County:	Hertfordshire
Area: - Total	Ranked 219th 101.16 km²
Admin. HQ:	Borehamwood
ONS code:	26UE
Demographics
Population: - Total (2008 est.) - Density	Ranked 227th 98,700 976 / km²
Ethnicity^[1]:	88.9% White 4.7% S.Asian 2.5% Black 2.0% Mixed 1.8% Chinese or Other
Politics
Hertsmere Borough Council http://www.hertsmere.gov.uk/
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Executive:	Conservative
MPs:	James Clappison

Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other towns in the borough include Bushey, Oxhey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar.

[edit] History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the former area of Bushey Urban District and Potters Bar Urban District with Elstree Rural District and part of Watford Rural District (the parish of Aldenham).

The name "Hertsmere" was invented for the new district by combining the name of the county with "mere", an archaic word for boundary. The name is doubly appropriate as the area is now the southern boundary of Hertfordshire with Greater London, while up to 1965 parts of the district were on either side of the county boundary with Middlesex. The name is reflected in the council's coat of arms, which shows a hart upon the battlements of a boundary wall.

The district was awarded borough status by Royal Charter in 1977.

The borough was originally in the Metropolitan Police District, despite being outside the modern Greater London boundaries. It was not transferred to Hertfordshire Constabulary until 2000.

[edit] Attractions

Hertsmere is the location of Elstree Studios, which produces such shows as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Dancing on Ice, and is the location for the Big Brother house.

Hertsmere is also the location for BBC Elstree, the site of EastEnders, and formerly the home to Top of the Pops, before its move to BBC TV Centre.

The area was also home to other TV and film studios, including MGM, until this was demolished for residential development, and is now an area called Studio Way.

[edit] Demographics

In the 2001 census, Hertsmere polled as the second most Jewish local authority in England, with Jews composing one in nine residents.^[2]

[edit] Politics

Main article: Hertsmere Borough Council

The borough council consists of 39 elected councillors, of which 31 are Conservative. There are 5 Liberal Democrats elected for wards in Bushey, and 3 Labour councillors representing wards in the Borehamwood area. The council is elected by thirds, with the most recent election held on 1 May 2008.

Until 1983 the borough was included in the parliamentary constituency of Hertfordshire South. In 1983 the constituency was renamed Hertsmere.

Hertsmere has been represented in Parliament by Conservative, James Clappison since 1992. He succeeded Cecil Parkinson who had been Member of Parliament for the area since 1974.

[edit] Parishes

The borough contains four parishes:

The areas of the former Bushey and Potters Bar urban districts are unparished.

[edit] References

^ Hertsmere: Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group, Office for National Statistics.
^ Kosher in the country The Economist 01 Jun 2006 accessed 14 August 2007

Coordinates: 51°40′N 0°16′W / 51.66°N 0.27°W / 51.66; -0.27

This Hertfordshire location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[0] Hertsmere: Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group, Office for National Statistics.

[1] Kosher in the country The Economist 01 Jun 2006 accessed 14 August 2007

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