Local Government: Role & Structure (AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

The role of local government in the UK

• Local government refers to elected councils and mayoralties that run services in villages, towns, cities and counties across the UK

  • It operates at a local level, below central government and focuses on issues that directly affect local communities

  • Local government helps make democracy more accessible, as decisions are made closer to the people they affect

  • It encourages active citizenship, such as voting, volunteering and community involvement

  • It helps balance power between central government and local communities

• Local government gets much of its funding from central government grants, as well as council tax and business rates

Structure of local government in the UK

• Lower tier local government focuses on very local services and community needs, often covering smaller areas

• Higher tier local government covers larger areas and is responsible for strategic services that require wider coordination

How local government is structured

Parish councils

• Parish councils represent small villages or rural communities

• They deal with very local issues such as footpaths, village halls and community events

Town councils

• Town councils are similar to parish councils but operate in larger towns

• They focus on local amenities, community projects and representing residents’ views

District and Borough Councils

• These councils provide local everyday services, such as housing, waste collection and local planning

• They serve individual or groups of towns or cities within a county or larger area

County councils

• These are organisations, such as Staffordshire County Council, that provide large-scale services across a wide area, such as education, social care, highways and libraries

• They usually work alongside district or borough councils in a two-tier system

Unitary authorities

• Unitary authorities, such as Medway Council, combine county and district responsibilities into one council

• They provide all local services in their area, making decision-making simpler

Directly Elected Mayors

• Directly elected mayors, such as Andy Burnham in Manchester, lead a city or local area and provide visible leadership

• They are responsible for setting priorities and representing the area locally and nationally

Public service authorities

NHS authorities

• NHS authorities plan and manage health services in a local area

• They ensure hospitals, GPs and community health services meet local needs

Police forces

• Police forces are responsible for preventing crime, enforcing the law and protecting the public

• They operate regionally and work closely with local councils and communities

Ambulance and Fire Service authorities

• These authorities provide emergency response services, including firefighting, rescue and medical emergencies

• They also carry out prevention work, such as fire safety education

Services provided by local government in the UK

• By 2028 the aim of the government is to replace County councils in England with Unitary Authorities and Strategic Mayoral structures

  • Strategic Mayoral Authorities will manage regional strategy

  • Unitary Authorities will deliver most local services

  • Town or parish councils will continue to focus on very local community needs

• Local government is subject to annual financial and governance audits

  • These audits help identify poor management or misuse of public money

• The central government has the power to intervene or take over the running of a council in serious cases

  • This may happen if there are major financial failures or governance problems

Strategic Mayoral Authorities (SMAs)

• Strategic Mayoral Authorities will cover large regions made up of several neighbouring unitary authorities.

  • They will usually serve a population of around 1.5 million people.

• They will be led by a directly elected mayor who will provide regional leadership.

Key services and responsibilities

Unitary Authorities

• Unitary authorities will act as single councils responsible for all local government services in their area

  • They will combine the roles previously carried out by county and district councils

  • Each authority will usually serve a population of around 500,000 people

Key services and responsibilities

• Some services will be statutory, meaning they must be provided by law

• Other services will be discretionary and may be reduced first if budgets are cut

• The amount raised through council tax will be limited by central government

Town and Parish Councils

• Town and parish councils will remain the most local level of government.

  • They will represent small communities, villages and towns.

• Councillors will be elected, and the councils will have limited powers.

Key services and responsibilities

• Not all town or parish councils will provide all of these services

• They will raise money through a local council tax to fund what they provide

Role and accountability of councillors

• Councillors play a key role in local democracy, representing residents, helping make decisions, and holding the council to account

What do councillors do?

• Councillors are accountable to voters at local elections, which take place every three or four years

  • Voters can remove councillors who they feel have not represented them effectively

• They are held to account by the public, pressure groups and the media

  • Poor behaviour or controversial decisions can attract public criticism

• Each council has a Code of Conduct for Members

  • This sets out expected standards of behaviour and includes sanctions for breaches