Local Government Structures

What are the three government systems?

• two tier

• unitary authorities

• hybrid

Describe the two tier system

• composed of county, district and parish/town councils (= third tier)

• independent with different election cycles

• structure can be found across England

• councils separately elected and could be under different political control, providing separate services (despite some overlap) + must work together to deliver shared services

• County delivers important strategic services:

  • Education, social care, waste DISPOSAL, planning strategy, children’s services, trading standards, libraries, highways, registration of BMDs

• District has more localised and regulatory role: 

  • Waste collection, planning permission, environmental health, council tax collection, housing, licensing, parking, electoral registration

There is some overlap/ areas of cooperation such as parking, arts, recreation, leisure

Describe the unitary system

• a one all-purpose council providing most local services

• more efficient (?)

• found in metropolitan areas of England and some shire areas

• 62 unitaries across England

• Unitaries provide services including both county (education, social care) and district (housing, licensing etc.)

Describe the hybrid structure

• counties in which both unitary and two-tier systems coexist

• 11 English counties – mainly ‘shires’ in rural England, eg Kent, Essex, Hampshire, Brighton and Hove

• One or more large towns have been made unitary and provide ALL services in that area while rest of county operates as two-tier

• Eg Brighton & Hove (unitary) provides ALL local services – education, social care, housing, licensing and has nothing to do with East Sussex County Council whereas rest of East Sussex operates as a two-tier system with local district/borough councils (eg Lewes District Council).

What are the pros & cons of two-tier/unitary structures?

• Two-tier confusing to people as county provides some services and borough others – not sure who to complain to, does this make local government less answerable to electorate?

• Some powers shared/overlap – can lead to delays and be more costly

• Powerful county council responsible for major services but geographically remote from most districts – do they have understanding of local issues?

• But counties have size to benefit from economies of scale and provide specialist services 17

• Small district councils may find it hard to recruit quality staff, but they are closer to people, understand local problems better

• Unitaries have no overlap/duplication = clearer, more accountable, integrated, cost effective, but some too small to benefit from economies of scale

Describe the Metropolitan borough/ district council.

• 36 metropolitan borough/district councils in six urban areas of England

• used to have two-tier system- Thatcher got rid of county councils so now metropolitan boroughs effectively unitary – do everything apart from fire and police

• different election system- mainly election by thirds, three years out of four

• move to give combined authorities more powers with devolution deals

Describe Parish councils

• third tier of local government

• “purest form of democracy”- closest to electorate

• budgets range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of pounds

• found in both unitary and two-tier areas all over the country

• called community councils in Wales and Scotland

• Control anything that’s joint property of village – village hall, bus shelter, recreation, footpaths, street lighting, car parks.

• Can adopt bylaws (eg dog control in local parks)

• Must have an annual meeting and at least three others a year. Smaller parishes <200 must hold annual parish meeting, open to all electors, between March and June

What are Parish council responsibilities?

• Lobbying (e.g. against a new bypass)

• Have to be consulted over planning decisions

• Traffic signs, gyms, sports centres and upkeep of parish amenities, WCs, car parks, benches, street lighting, footpaths, museums

What is a city?

• defined by Royal Charter, usually to commemorate Royal date in calendar

• more about status than anything else

• can have a ceremonial mayor rather than chairman

• cannot be a county council

Describe the structure of London

• 32 boroughs and City of London Corporation

• two-tier government

• councils are responsible for providing everyday services

What is the Greater London Authority (GLA)?

• Strategic authority created in 1999 responsible for transport, policing, fire, congestion charge

• Main bodies answerable to GLA:

  • Transport for London – Tubes, buses, taxis, main roads, Docklands Light Railway

  • Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime – see under policing, p51. Set up 2012 – publish police and crime plan and hold Met Commissioner to account, with 100+ staff overseen by the deputy mayor.

  • London Fire Commissioner

• Mayor collaborates with other bodies over environment, planning, culture, tourism, arts, housing policy etc

Describe the London Assembly

• 25 members= 14 area members + 11 London-wide members

• First past post electoral system + party lists

• role of holding the mayor to account

What is a combined authority?

A combined authority (CA) is a legal body set up using national legislation that enables a group of two or more councils to collaborate and take collective decisions across council boundaries.

• have a directly elected mayor, commonly called “metro mayors”

• have powers over housing, transport, planning, policing

• benefit from a 30-year investment fund, can take on the role of integrated transport authority, and borrow money for social and environmental schemes