The Borough of Dacorum is in West Hertfordshire. It is composed of the main towns of Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring plus a number of large and small villages.

Dacorum, in its present form, was created in 1974 following a review of local government in England and Wales. The government committee which undertook the review was chaired by Lord Redcliffe-Maud (the "Maud" Report). Redcliffe-Maud said that the style for small local government administrations areas, which had been the practice up till then, would no longer suit.

In order to generate the money necessary to provide the increasing range of services which people expected of them, local government areas needed to have a higher critical mass of tax-payers.

Five smaller council areas, those of the Borough of Hemel Hempstead, the Urban Districts of Berkhamsted and Tring, and the Rural Districts of Hemel Hempstead and of Berkhamsted were merged.

The new administrative area also took in small parts of the Rural Districts of Watford and of St. Albans. Today, this amalgam of seven components is marked by the seven oak leaves which surround the Tudor rose in the centre of the logo of the Borough.

If you are interested in statistical data on the Borough of Dacorum, please view the Census 2001 information.