Hertsmere was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of three former districts and a single parish from a fourth district, which were all abolished at the same time:[2] The Potters Bar Urban District (which coincided with the parish of South Mimms) was historically part of Middlesex, but had been transferred to Hertfordshire on 1 April 1965 when Greater London was created and Middlesex County Council abolished.

[4] The district was awarded borough status on 15 April 1977, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.

[5] The borough was originally in the Metropolitan Police District, despite being outside the modern Greater London boundaries.

Political control since 1974 has been as follows:[13][14] The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Hertsmere, and is usually held by a different councillor each year.

In 1983 the constituency was renamed Hertsmere, whose current MP is Oliver Dowden of the Conservative Party, who served as deputy Prime Minister from 2023 to 2024.

Bushey and Potters Bar are unparished areas, being directly administered by Hertsmere Borough Council.

[21] In the 2021 census Hertsmere overtook Barnet to become the most Jewish local authority area, with Jews comprising one in every six residents.

Jews form a plurality of the population in two wards of the borough, Bushey Heath and Elstree.