Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England with a population of 81,143 at the 2001 Census (but now estimated at around 89,000 by Hertfordshire county council) . Developed after World War II as a new town, it has existed as a settlement since the 8th century. It is part of the district (and borough since 1984) of Dacorum and the Hemel Hempstead constituency. On 11 December 2005 it was brought into the news by the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire. n the 1970s, the town decided to abolish its mayor and set up in place, a district council. The first chairman of that council was Chairman John Johnson (1913-1977). In the 1980s, the town then decided to revert back to its original state, with a mayor. The political atmosphere of the town has changed significantly. Once a Labour stronghold, the town has seen an increase in Conservative Party voting in recent years, and the current MP, Mike Penning, is Conservative. As of the 2001 census, Hemel Hempstead is the most populated urban area in Hertfordshire, narrowly more populated than its traditionally "larger" rival, Watford. More on Hemel Hempstead 

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