Leader of Watford Borough Council Mayor Peter Taylor has been elected as the Chair of Hertfordshire Growth Board (HGB) by Hertfordshire Leaders.
Mayor Peter Taylor has officially replaced Cllr Jeremy Newmark, Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, following the HGB formal board meeting on 16 July. Cllr Newmark will join Cllr Richard Henry, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council as Vice Chair.
Peter Taylor has been the Elected Mayor of Watford since 2018 and became a Hertfordshire County Councillor in May 2025.
He said: “This is a hugely exciting time to be leading on the growth agenda for our county. Over the past year under the leadership of Cllr Newmark, tremendous progress has been made on delivering our Missions on housing, transport, economy, sustainability, healthy and safe places, and digital inclusion. It’s vital that we work together so that our county has the infrastructure in place for Hertfordshire’s economy to thrive. Our focus remains on securing good growth for our residents, communities and businesses.”
In its first year of delivering against its Vision and Missions, Hertfordshire Growth Board has seen significant progress, including:
- Launching Invest Hertfordshire, a countywide inward investment service.
- Rolling out superfast broadband to 13,000 premises.
- Securing nearly a quarter of a million pounds in funding to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people in Welwyn Hatfield.
- Being selected as a pilot area for accelerating green skills to make homes more energy-efficient.
- Submitting an application to become an AI Growth Zone.
Cllr Jeremy Newmark said: “I look forward to continuing to work with members from across local government, NHS, police, education and business to achieve our growth potential. Hertfordshire is an economic powerhouse and with the right support we can achieve even more together. With an economy of nearly £50bn, larger than many city regions, and sectors driving UK growth, Hertfordshire’s voice on national issues is crucial. Mayor Peter Taylor will be a great advocate for our people and places.”
Following Hertfordshire County Council elections in May, Cllr Steve Jarvis, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, and Cllr Corina Gander, Leader, Broxbourne Borough Council have joined Hertfordshire Growth Board. Cllr Sally Symington also joins after becoming Leader of Dacorum Borough Council in April.
To learn more about Hertfordshire Growth Board visit: www.hertfordshiregrowthboard.com
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