Local government in the United Kingdom

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Local government in the United Kingdom

The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England

England

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislature in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories....
and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved parliament

Devolved English parliament

A devolved English Parliament, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently an issue in the politics of the United Kingdom....
.

Principal authorities
England is subdivided into nine regions

Regions of England

The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of Local government in England sub-national entity of England, with only one, London, having a directly elected assembly....
.

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The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England

England

Parliament of the United Kingdom

Devolved English parliament

Subdivisions

Principal authorities

England is subdivided into nine regions

Regions of England

Greater London

London Assembly

The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget....
and Mayor, but the others have a relatively minor role, with unelected regional assemblies

Regional Assemblies in England

"Regional Assembly" is the name which has been adopted by the England bodies established as regional chambers under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 and of the elected London Assembly....
and Regional Development Agencies

Regional Development Agency

A regional development agency is a non-departmental public body established for the purpose of development, primarily economic, of one of England's Government Office regions....
. Below the region level and excluding London, England has two different patterns of local government in use. In some areas there is a county council

County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
responsible for services such as education, waste management and strategic planning within a county

Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England

Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of subdivisions of England used for the purposes of local government outside Greater London....
, with several district

Non-metropolitan district

Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially 'shire districts', are a type of Districts of England in England. As originally created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan county in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement....
councils responsible for services such as housing, waste collection and local planning. These councils are elected in separate elections. Some areas have only one level of local government, and these are dubbed unitary authorities.

The following table lists the principal authorities found in England. These are Administrative (Shire) Counties, Metropolitan Districts, London Boroughs and Unitary Authorities. Shire counties marked with a cross (⁺) will be abolished on 1 April 2009. Unitary authorities that have been ~~struckthrough~~ will come into existence on 1 April 2009.

Type	Authorities
Two-tier authorities (Shire Counties)	Bedfordshire Bedfordshire Bedfordshire is a county in England that forms part of the East of England Regions of England.Its county town is Bedford, Bedfordshire. It borders Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.... ⁺ · Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England home counties Counties of England in South East England England.... · Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a Counties_of_the_United_Kingdom#England in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex, England and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west.... · Cheshire Cheshire Cheshire is a Counties of England in North West England. The county town, and the location of the county council, is the City status in the United Kingdom of Chester, although Cheshire's largest town in terms of area and population is Warrington.... ⁺ · Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain.... ⁺ · Cumbria Cumbria Cumbria is a non-metropolitan county in the North West England of England. Cumbria came into existence as a county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.... · Derbyshire Derbyshire Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains.... · Devon Devon Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire.... · Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a Counties of England in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester, Dorset, situated in the south of the county at .... · County Durham County Durham County Durham is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in North East England England. The county town is Durham.The largest settlement in the county is the town of Darlington.... ⁺ · East Sussex East Sussex East Sussex is a Counties of England in South East England England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.... · Essex · Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a Counties of England in South West England England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean.... · Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England.... · Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England.... · Kent Kent Kent is a Counties of England in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary.... · Lancashire Lancashire Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea.... · Leicestershire Leicestershire Leicestershire County Hall, situated in Glenfield, Leicestershire, about 3 miles northwest of Leicester city centre, is the seat of Leicestershire County Council and the headquarters of the county authority.... · Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a Counties of England in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire.... · Norfolk · Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Northamptonshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the England East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the United Kingdom Census 2001.... · Northumberland Northumberland Northumberland is a Counties of England in the North East England of England. The non-metropolitan counties of England of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west, County Durham to the south and Tyne and Wear to the south east, as well as having a border with the Scottish Borders council area to the north, and nearly eighty miles of Nort... ⁺ · North Yorkshire North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a shire county or shire county, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial counties of England in that region and also partly in North East England.... · Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire is an Counties of England in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The county town is traditionally Nottingham, though the council is now based in West Bridgford, a suburb of Greater Nottingham .... · Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire.... · Shropshire Shropshire Shropshire , alternatively known as *Salop* or abbreviated, in print only, *Shrops, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England.... ⁺ · Somerset Somerset Somerset* is a Counties of England in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west.... · Staffordshire Staffordshire Staffordshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Stafford. Part of the National Forest, England lies within its borders.... · Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a Non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south.... · Surrey · Warwickshire Warwickshire Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton in the far north of the county.... · West Sussex West Sussex West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial counties of England until 1974 and the coming into force of the Local Government... · Wiltshire Wiltshire *Wiltshire* is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire.... ⁺ · Worcestershire Worcestershire Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands of central England. From 1974 to 1998 it was administered as part of Hereford and Worcester....
Type	Authorities
London borough London borough The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London.... (within Greater London Greater London Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs.... )	Barking and Dagenham London Borough of Barking and Dagenham The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is a London borough in East London, England and forms part of Outer London.... · Barnet London Borough of Barnet The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: London Borough of Harrow and London Borough of Brent to the west, London Borough of Camden and London Borough of Haringey to the south-east and London Borough of Enfield to the... · Bexley London Borough of Bexley The London Borough of Bexley lies to the south east of Greater London, one of those boroughs referred to as Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west and the River Thames is the northern boundary with the London Borough of Havering and the London Borough... · Brent London Borough of Brent The London Borough of Brent is a London borough in North-West London, UK and forms part of Outer London.It borders London Borough of Harrow to the northwest, London Borough of Barnet to the northeast, London Borough of Camden to the east and London Borough of Ealing, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington and... · Bromley London Borough of Bromley The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.... · Camden London Borough of Camden The London Borough of Camden is a London borough of London, England, which forms part of Inner London. The southern reaches of Camden form part of Central London.... · Croydon London Borough of Croydon The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population.... · Ealing London Borough of Ealing The London Borough of Ealing is an Outer London London borough in West London.The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London Borough of Hounslow to the south.... · Enfield London Borough of Enfield The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London.... · Greenwich London Borough of Greenwich The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London London borough in south-east London, England.Greenwich is one of five host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics with events due to be held at the Royal Artillery Barracks , Greenwich Park and The O2-former Millennium Dome .... · Hackney London Borough of Hackney The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough in East London, and forms part of inner London and North London.... · Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London and forms part of Inner London.It was formed in 1965 by merging the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith and the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham.... · Haringey London Borough of Haringey See also: Harringay for the neighbourhood in the London Borough of HaringeyThe London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London.... · Harrow London Borough of Harrow The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of outer north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, London Borough of Ealing to the south, London Borough of Brent to... · Havering London Borough of Havering The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in East London, England London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main settlements are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham, London.... · Hillingdon London Borough of Hillingdon The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. It is home to Brunel University, London Heathrow Airport and Disablement Association of Hillingdon.... · Hounslow London Borough of Hounslow The London Borough of Hounslow is a London borough in West London, England.... · Islington London Borough of Islington The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in North London and Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former Metropolitan Borough of Metropolitan Borough of Islington and Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury.... · Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a London borough in the west side of central London.It is an urban area and was named in the United Kingdom Census 2001 as the most densely populated local authority in the United Kingdom, with a population of 158,919 at 13,244 per square kilometre .... · Kingston upon Thames Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a London borough in south-west London, England. The main town in the borough is Kingston upon Thames, but it covers a wider area also including places such as Surbiton, Chessington, New Malden and Tolworth.... · Lambeth London Borough of Lambeth The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Inner London.... · Lewisham London Borough of Lewisham The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham and its council is based at Catford.... · City of London City of London The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew.... (sui generis) · Merton London Borough of Merton The London Borough of Merton is a London borough in south west London.The borough was formed in 1965 by the merger of the former area of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey.... · Newham London Borough of Newham The London Borough of Newham is a London borough in East London, England, within Greater London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames.... · Redbridge London Borough of Redbridge The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in north east London, England and forms part of Outer London.... · Richmond upon Thames London Borough of Richmond upon Thames The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South London London, England, which forms part of Outer London.... · Southwark London Borough of Southwark The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.... · Sutton London Borough of Sutton The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population.... · Tower Hamlets London Borough of Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London, England and north of the River Thames in East London, England, taking in much of the East End of London.... · Waltham Forest London Borough of Waltham Forest The London Borough of Waltham Forest is a London borough in East London, England and forms part of Outer London. It is a mix of built-up residential development and a fifth of the borough is made up of forestland, reservoirs, open space, parks and playing fields.... · Wandsworth London Borough of Wandsworth The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in south west London, England and forms part of Inner London.... · Westminster City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a London borough of London with City status in the United Kingdom. It is located west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, and forms part of Inner London and the bulk of London's central area.... ·
Type	Authorities
Metropolitan district Metropolitan borough A metropolitan borough is a type of districts of England in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted royal charters to give them borough status in... (de facto unitary authorities)	Greater Manchester: Bolton Metropolitan Borough of Bolton The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest town Bolton, but covers a far larger area including six smaller towns and a number of villages around the West Pennine Moors.... · Bury Metropolitan Borough of Bury The Metropolitan borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in the northwest of England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough consists of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Greater Manchester, Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, Whitefield, Greater Manchester and Prestwich, and has a population of 1... · Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853.... · Oldham Metropolitan Borough of Oldham The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Oldham, but covers a far larger area totaling , which includes the towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton, and Shaw and Crompton.... · Rochdale Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Greater Manchester, Heywood, Greater Manchester, Littleborough, Greater Manchester and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle,... · Salford City of Salford The City of Salford is a local government district of Greater Manchester, England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough.... · Stockport Metropolitan Borough of Stockport The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centered around the town of Stockport.... · Tameside Tameside The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame, Greater Manchester which flows through the borough and consists of the nine towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Greater Manchester, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Greater Manchester, Mottram in... · Trafford Trafford The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Greater Manchester, Sale, Greater Manchester, Stretford, and Urmston.... · Wigan Metropolitan Borough of Wigan The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its main component town, Wigan, but covers a far larger area, which includes the towns of Leigh, Greater Manchester, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley, Greater Manchester.... Merseyside: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Merseyside, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres.... · Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool [] is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a History of borough status in England and Wales in 1207 and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1880.... · Sefton · St Helens Metropolitan Borough of St Helens The Metropolitan Borough of St Helens is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England England. It is named after its largest town, St Helens, Merseyside, though covers a much wider area which includes the settlements of Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Haydock, Rainhill, Eccleston , Clock Face, Merseyside, Billinge and Winstanley... · Wirral Metropolitan Borough of Wirral The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, North West England, which occupies the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula.... South Yorkshire: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. Its main town is Barnsley.The borough is bisected by the M1 motorway; it is rural to the west, and largely urban/industrial to the east.... · Doncaster Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley, where the former Royal Air Force Vulcan bomber base was converted into a passenger airport, Robin Hood Airpo... · Rotherham Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham Rotherham is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. It is named for its main town, Rotherham. Despite a swing against Labour in 2008, it is one of the safest Labour councils in the country and now their only safe council in Yorkshire.... · Sheffield Tyne and Wear: Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead Gateshead is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, in north-east England. It is named for its main town, Gateshead. Other settlements include Rowlands Gill, Whickham, Blaydon and Ryton, Tyne and Wear.... · Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Situated on the north bank of the River Tyne, the city developed from a Roman Empire settlement called Pons Aelius, though it owes its name to the Newcastle Castle built in 1080, by Robert Curthose, the eldest son of... · North Tyneside North Tyneside North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear in the North East England of England. Its seat is at the Town Hall, Wallsend.Created in 1974, the borough lies within the Historic counties of England of Northumberland.... · South Tyneside South Tyneside South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north.... · Sunderland City of Sunderland The city of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough.... West Midlands: Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 .... · Coventry Coventry Coventry is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. With a population of 303,475 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom.... · Dudley · Sandwell Sandwell Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of the towns of Oldbury, West Midlands, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury, Cradley Heath, Tividale and West Bromwich.... · Solihull Metropolitan Borough of Solihull The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in the ceremonial county of West Midlands in the United Kingdom. It is named after its main town of Solihull, which is the seat of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.... · Walsall Metropolitan Borough of Walsall The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands , England. It is named after Walsall, its administrative headquarters.... · Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolverhampton is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of the West Midlands , England. In 2004, the local government district had an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of List of English cities by population, which makes it the 13th most populous city in England.... West Yorkshire: Bradford City of Bradford City of Bradford is a Local government in England of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough and a city status in the United Kingdom.... · Calderdale Calderdale The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name.... · Kirklees Kirklees The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, West Yorkshire, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, West Yorkshire, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite.... · Leeds City of Leeds City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough.... · Wakefield City of Wakefield The City of Wakefield is a Local government in England of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough....
Type	Authorities
Unitary authority Unitary authority A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national government....	Bath and North East Somerset Bath and North East Somerset Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 following the abolition of the County of Avon. It is part of the Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset.... · Bedford Bedford (borough) Bedford is a Non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough status in the United Kingdom in the East of England. Its council is based at Bedford, Bedfordshire, which also serves as the county town of Bedfordshire.... ·Blackburn with Darwen Blackburn with Darwen Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England England. It consists of Blackburn, the small town of Darwen to the south of it, and the surrounding countryside.... · Blackpool Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Lying along the coast of the Irish Sea, it has a population of 142,900, making it the North West England#Important cities and towns settlement in North West England behind Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington.... · Bournemouth Bournemouth (borough) The Borough of Bournemouth has been a unitary authority in South East Dorset since 1 April 1997. It is named after Bournemouth, the town it serves.... · Bracknell Forest Bracknell Forest Bracknell Forest is a unitary authority and borough in Berkshire in southern England. It covers the towns of Bracknell, North Ascot, Sandhurst, Crowthorne and surrounding villages and hamlets.... · Brighton and Hove · Bristol Bristol Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.... · Central Bedfordshire Central Bedfordshire Central Bedfordshire is a new unitary authority in England which will be created from the merger of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire district councils, and that part of Bedfordshire County Council in which the two districts are geographically situated.... ·Cheshire East Cheshire East Cheshire East Council, is the name for a new unitary authority in Cheshire. It will come into force from April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.... · Cheshire West and Chester Cheshire West and Chester Cheshire West and Chester is the name for a new unitary authority area in Cheshire. It will come into force from April 2009, as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.... ·Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain.... ·County Durham County Durham County Durham is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in North East England England. The county town is Durham.The largest settlement in the county is the town of Darlington.... ·Derby Derby Derby is a city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands region of England in the United Kingdom. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent, Derbyshire and is located in the south of the non-metropolitan county of Derbyshire.... · Darlington Darlington (borough) Darlington is a Districts of England and borough in North East England England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 98,210. It borders County Durham to the north and west, North Yorkshire to the south along the line of the River Tees, and Stockton-on-Tees to the east.... · East Riding of Yorkshire East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan district with unitary authority status, and is a ceremonial counties of England of England.... · Halton Halton (borough) Halton is a local government district in North West England, with Borough status in the United Kingdom and administered by a unitary authority. It was created in 1974 as a district of Cheshire, and became a unitary authority area on 1 April 1998.... · Hartlepool Hartlepool (borough) Hartlepool is a Districts of England and borough in the ceremonial county of County Durham, North East England England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 90,161.... · Herefordshire Herefordshire Herefordshire is a Historic counties of England and Ceremonial counties of England Counties of England in the West Midlands Regions of England of England.... · Isles of Scilly Isles of Scilly The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornwall of Great Britain. Traditionally administered as part of the county of Cornwall, the islands are now a unitary authority and have their own council.... (sui generis) · Isle of Wight Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight is an England island and county, located 3-8 km from the south coast of the mainland, in the English Channel. It is situated south of the county of Hampshire and is separated from mainland Britain by the Solent.... · Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull , almost invariably referred to as Hull, is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.... · Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is the county town of Leicestershire.... · Luton Luton Luton is a large town in the East of England England, 32 miles north of London. Historically, Luton is within the county of Bedfordshire, and since 1997, the town has been a unitary authority.... · Medway Medway Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County Council, though still within the Ceremonial counties of England of Kent.... · Middlesbrough Middlesbrough (borough) Middlesbrough is a unitary authority and borough status in the United Kingdom in North Yorkshire, England. It is based on the town of Middlesbrough, which is sometimes considered to spread outside the borough boundaries into the neighbouring borough of Redcar and Cleveland; the borough extends southwards to a semi-rural area.... · Milton Keynes Milton Keynes (borough) The Borough of Milton Keynes is a unitary authority and borough in south central England, at the northern tip of the South East England Regions of England.... · North East Lincolnshire North East Lincolnshire North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, bordering the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire.... · North Lincolnshire North Lincolnshire North Lincolnshire is a unitary authority area in the region of Yorkshire and the Humber in England. For Ceremonial counties of England it is part of Lincolnshire.... · North Somerset North Somerset North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county.... · Northumberland Northumberland Northumberland is a Counties of England in the North East England of England. The non-metropolitan counties of England of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west, County Durham to the south and Tyne and Wear to the south east, as well as having a border with the Scottish Borders council area to the north, and nearly eighty miles of Nort... ·Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is one of the three major city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands and is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England.... · Peterborough · Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound.... · Poole Poole Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, Dorset, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east.... · Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth city status in the United Kingdom located in the Counties of England of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the UK's only island city and is located on Portsea Island.... · Reading · Redcar and Cleveland Redcar and Cleveland The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial counties of England of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Skelton-in-Cleveland and Loftus, North Yorkshire.... · Rutland Rutland Rutland is a Counties of England of mainland England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire, and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire.... · Slough Slough Slough is a Borough status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area within the Ceremonial counties of England of Berkshire, England, situated west of London.... · Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest City status in the United Kingdom in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England, and is sited around 100 km south-west of London and 30 km north-west of Portsmouth.... · Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in the ceremonial counties of England of Essex in the East of England England.... · South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire is a Unitary authority Districts of England in the Ceremonial counties of England of Gloucestershire in South West England England.... · Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees (borough) Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority area and Borough status in the United Kingdom in the Tees Valley area of North East England, with a population in 2001 of 178,408, rising to 185,880 in 2005 estimates.... · Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent is a City status in the United Kingdom in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of .... · Shropshire Shropshire Shropshire , alternatively known as *Salop* or abbreviated, in print only, *Shrops, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England.... ·Swindon Swindon (borough) The Borough of Swindon* is a local government district in South West England England. It is centred on the town of Swindon and forms part of the ceremonial counties of England of Wiltshire.... · Telford and Wrekin Telford and Wrekin Telford and Wrekin is a unitary authority districts of England with borough status in the West Midlands of England. The district was created in 1974 as The Wrekin, then a non-metropolitan district of Shropshire.... · Thurrock Thurrock Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the England ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone.... · Torbay Torbay Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth.... · Warrington Warrington Warrington is a large town, borough status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley.... · West Berkshire West Berkshire West Berkshire is a Districts of England in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, Berkshire, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.... ·Wiltshire Wiltshire *Wiltshire* is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire.... · Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England England. It became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998.... · Wokingham Wokingham (district) Wokingham is a Districts of England in Berkshire, United Kingdom. It is named after its main town, Wokingham. Other places in the district include Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Earley, Finchampstead, Hurst, Berkshire, Sonning, Remenham, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Twyford, Berkshire, Wargrave, Winnersh and Woodley.... · York York York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....

Parishes and communities

Below the district level, a district may be divided into several civil parishes. Typical activities undertaken by a parish council include allotment

Allotment (gardening)

Allotment gardens are characterised by a concentration in one place of a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individual families....
s, parks, public clocks, and entering Britain in Bloom

Britain in Bloom

Britain in Bloom is a horticulture competition in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France....
. They also have a consultative role in planning. Councils such as districts, counties and unitaries are known as principal local authorities in order to differentiate them in their legal status from parish and town councils, which are not uniform in their existence. Local councils tend not to exist in metropolitan areas but there is nothing to stop their establishment. For example, Birmingham

Birmingham

Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
has a parish, New Frankley

New Frankley

New Frankley in Birmingham is the only civil parish in Birmingham, England. As such, it has its own parish council.It was established in 2000 in an area in the south-west of the city, around Bartley Reservoir, transferred from Bromsgrove in 1995, which had previously been part of the Frankley parish....
. Parishes have not existed in Greater London

Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
since 1965, but from 2007 they could legally be created. In some districts, the rural area is parished and the urban is not - such as in the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham

Shrewsbury and Atcham

Shrewsbury and Atcham is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Shropshire, England.Shrewsbury is the only town in the borough; Atcham, although itself only a village, is included in the name as a reflection of the incorporation into the borough of the former Atcham Rural District....
, where the town of Shrewsbury is unparished and has no local councils, while the countryside around the town is parished. In others, there is a more complex mixture, as in the case of Crewe and Nantwich

Crewe and Nantwich

Crewe and Nantwich is one of six Non-metropolitan districts in the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Cheshire, England. It has a population of 111,007....
, where Nantwich

Nantwich

Nantwich is a market town in south Cheshire, England, in the Borough and parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich. In 2001 Nantwich had a population of 12,515....
is parished, Crewe

Crewe

Crewe is a town in Cheshire, England. It is the largest town in the borough of Crewe and Nantwich, in which it is the only unparished area. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683....
is not, and many parishes share a parish council with neighbouring parishes.

History

The current arrangement of local government in England is not the result of a single comprehensive policy, but a range of incremental measures which have their origins in the municipal reform of the 19th century. During the 20th century, the structure of local government was reformed and rationalised, with local government areas becoming fewer and larger; and the functions of local councils amended. The way local authorities are funded has also been subject to periodic and significant reform.

People

Councillors and mayors

Councils have historically had no split between executive

Executive (government)

Sorry, no overview for this topic
and legislature

Legislature

Legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to create and change laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law....
. Functions are vested in the council itself, and then exercised usually by committees or subcommittees of the council. The post of leader was recognised, and leaders typically chair several important committees, but had no special authority. The chair of the council itself is an honorary position with no real power. Under section 15 the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, committees must roughly reflect the political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain politics power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns....
makeup of the council; before it was permitted for a party with control of the council to "pack" committees with their own members. This pattern was based on that established for municipal borough

Municipal borough

Municipal boroughs were a type of local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002....
s by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835

Municipal Corporations Act 1835

The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 - sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales....
, and then later adopted for county council

County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
s and rural district

Rural district

Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the Administrative county....
s.

In 2000, Parliament passed the Local Government Act 2000

Local Government Act 2000

The Local Government Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales....
to require councils to move to an executive-based system, either with the council leader and a cabinet

Cabinet-style council

A Cabinet-style Council is a type of local government in the United Kingdom which has been introduced in the United Kingdom for Local City Council following the introduction of the Local Government Act 2000....
acting as an executive authority, or with a directly elected mayor – either with a mayor and cabinet drawn from the councillors – or a mayor and council manager. There is a small exception to this whereby smaller district councils (population of less than 85,000) can adopt a modified committee system. Most councils are using the council leader and cabinet option, while 52 smaller councils have been allowed to propose alternative arrangements based on the older system (Section 31 of the Act), and Brighton and Hove invoked a similar provision (Section 27(2)(b)) when a referendum to move to a directly elected mayor was defeated.

There are now twelve directly elected mayors, in districts where a referendum

Referendums in the United Kingdom

Referendums are only occasionally held by the government of the United Kingdom. Nine referendums have been held so far , the first in 1973; only one of these covered the whole UK....
was in favour of them. Many of the mayors are independents (notably in Hartlepool

Hartlepool (borough)

Hartlepool is a Districts of England and borough in the ceremonial county of County Durham, North East England England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 90,161....
and Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough (borough)

Middlesbrough is a unitary authority and borough status in the United Kingdom in North Yorkshire, England. It is based on the town of Middlesbrough, which is sometimes considered to spread outside the borough boundaries into the neighbouring borough of Redcar and Cleveland; the borough extends southwards to a semi-rural area....
, which in parliamentary

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislature in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories....
elections are usually Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century, it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Left-wing politics in England, Scotland and Wales, but not Northern Ireland, where it has only recently organised again....
strongholds). Since May 2002, only a handful of referendums have been held, and they have all been negative apart from Torbay

Torbay

Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth....
. Of the mayors, all but Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is a City status in the United Kingdom in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of ....
's are mayor and cabinet-based. The Executive, in whichever form, is held to account by the remainder of the Councillors acting as the "Overview and Scrutiny

Overview and Scrutiny

Overview and Scrutiny is a function of Local government in the United Kingdom in England and Wales. It was introduced by the Local Government Act 2000 which created separate executive and Overview and Scrutiny functions within councils....
function" - calling the Executive to account for their actions and to justify their future plans. As a relatively new concept within local government, this is arguably an under-developed part of local municipal administration. In a related development, the Health and Social Care Act 2001, Police and Justice Act 2006

Police and Justice Act 2006

The Police and Justice Act 2006 received Royal Assent in the United Kingdom on Wednesday 8th November 2006. As at August 2007 many of the provisions are not yet in force....
, and 2006 local government white paper set out a role for local government Overview and Scrutiny in creating greater local accountability for a range of public-sector organisations.

Borough

Borough

A borough is an administrative division of various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
s in many cases are descendants of municipal boroughs set up hundreds of years ago, and so have accreted a number of traditions and ceremonial functions. Where borough councils have not adopted a directly elected mayor, the chair of the council is the mayor. In certain cities the mayor is known as the Lord Mayor. The chairman of a town council is styled the Town Mayor.

Councils may make people honorary freemen

Freedom of the City

Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe to esteemed members of its community or to organisations that have given the community heroic service; the term applies to two separate honors, one civilian and one military...
or honorary aldermen

Alderman

An alderman is a member of a Municipal government assembly or council in many jurisdictions. Historically the term could also refer to local municipal judges in small legal proceedings ....
.

Elections

The area which a council covers is divided into one or more electoral division

Electoral division

An electoral division may be a:* Constituency* Ward ...
s – known in district and parish councils as "wards", and in county councils as "electoral divisions". Each ward can return one or more members; multi-member wards are quite common. There is no requirement for the size of wards to be the same within a district, so one ward can return one member and another ward can return two. Metropolitan borough wards must return a multiple of three councillors, while until the Local Government Act 2003

Local Government Act 2003

The Local Government Act 2003 is an Act of Parliament of the Parlaiment of the United Kingdom. It made various changes to the administration of local government of the United KingdomIt also created the concept of "business improvement districts"....
multiple-member county electoral divisions were forbidden.

In the election, the candidates to receive the most votes win, in a system known as the multi-member plurality system. There is no element of proportional representation

Proportional representation

Proportional representation , sometimes referred to as full representation, is a category of voting systems aimed at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive ....
, so if four candidates from the Mauve Party poll 2,000 votes each, and four candidates from the Taupe Party poll 1,750 votes each, all four Mauve candidates will be returned, and no Taupe candidates will. Although this has been said by some to be undemocratic, minor and local single-issue parties do tend to do much better at local elections than they do in general elections, so the case for reform is perhaps less clear. In any event, the system is not likely to change for the foreseeable future.

The term of a councillor is usually four years. Councils may be elected wholly, every four years, or "by thirds", where a third of the councillors get elected each year, with one year with no elections. Recently, the "by halves" system, whereby half of the council is elected every two years, has been allowed. Sometimes wholesale boundary revisions will mean the entire council will be re-elected, before returning to the previous elections by thirds or by halves over the coming years.

Officers

Councillors cannot do the work of the council themselves, and so are responsible for appointment and oversight of officers, who are delegated to perform most tasks. Local authorities nowadays have to appoint a "Chief Executive Officer", with overall responsibility for council employees, and who operates in conjunction with department heads. The Chief Executive Officer position is weak compared to the council manager system seen in other countries (and in Stoke). In some areas, much of the work previously undertaken directly by council employees has been privatised.

Functions and powers

Arrangement	Upper tier authority	Lower tier authority
Shire counties	waste management, education, libraries, social services, transport, strategic planning, consumer protection	housing, waste collection, council tax collection, local planning, licensing, cemeteries and crematoria
Unitary authorities	housing, waste management, waste collection, council tax collection, education, libraries, social services, transport, planning, consumer protection, licensing, cemeteries and crematoria †
Metropolitan counties		housing, waste collection, council tax collection, education, libraries, social services, transport, planning, consumer protection, licensing, cemeteries and crematoria †
Greater London	transport, strategic planning, regional development, police, fire	housing, waste collection, council tax collection, education, libraries, social services, local planning, consumer protection, licensing, cemeteries and crematoria †

† = in practice, some functions take place at a strategic level through joint boards and arrangements

Councils also have a general power to "promote economic, social and environmental well-being" of their area. However, like all public bodies, they are limited by the doctrine of ultra vires
Ultra vires

Ultra vires is a Latin List of Latin phrases that literally means "beyond the powers". Its inverse is called intra vires, meaning "within the powers"....
, and may only do things that common law or an Act of Parliament

Act of Parliament

An act of Parliament is a statute wikt:enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. It is broadly equivalent to an act of Congress in the United States....
specifically or generally allows for - in contrast to the earlier incorporated municipal corporation

Municipal corporation

A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local government, including city, county, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs....
s which were treated as natural persons and could undertake whatever activities they wished to. Councils may promote Local Acts in Parliament to grant them special powers. For example, Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull , almost invariably referred to as Hull, is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England....
had for many years a municipally owned telephone company, Kingston Communications

Kingston Communications

KCOM Group is a UK communications and IT services provider. It is headquartered in Kingston upon Hull, where subsidiary business unit Kingston Communications serves local residents and businesses with Internet and telephony services....
.

Funding

Local councils are funded by a combination of central government grants, Council Tax

Council tax

Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country....
(a locally set tax

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon an individual or Legal person by a state or the functional equivalent of a state.Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entity....
based on house value), Business Rates

Business rates

Business rates is the commonly used name of non-domestic rates, a tax on the occupation of non-domestic property. Rates are a property tax used to fund local services that dates back to the Elizabethan Poor Law ....
, and fees and charges from certain services including decriminalised parking enforcement

Decriminalised parking enforcement

Decriminalised Parking Enforcement is the name given in the United Kingdom to the civil enforcement of car parking regulations, carried out by civil enforcement officers....
. The proportion of revenue that comes from Council Tax is low, meaning that if a council wishes to increase its funding modestly, it has to put up Council Tax by a large amount. Central government retains the right to "cap" Council Tax if it deems it to be too much. This is an area of debate in British politics at the moment, with councils and central government blaming each other for council tax rises.

Council Tax is collected by the district-level council. Authorities such as the GLA

Greater London Authority

The Greater London Authority is the region-wide governing body for London, England. It consists of a directly-elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers....
, parish councils, county councils, passenger transport authorities, fire authorities, police authorities

Police authority

A police authority in the United Kingdom, is a body charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area served by a territorial police force or the area and/or activity policed by a special police force....
, and national parks authorities can make a precept

Precept

A Precept is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authority rule of action....
. This shows up as an independent element on council tax bills, but is collected by the district and funnelled to the precepting authority. Some joint ventures are instead funded by levy

Levy

Levy or L?vy may refer to:*Levy County, Florida* Forced labor; see conscription or national service* An imposition of a tax* A judicial remedy where the property of a judgment debtor is seized for public sale to satisfy a monetary judgment...
.

Boundaries and names

Sizes of council areas vary widely. The most populated district in England is Birmingham

Birmingham

Metropolitan borough

A metropolitan borough is a type of districts of England in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted royal charters to give them borough status in...
) with 977,087 people (2001 census), and the least populated non-metropolitan unitary area is Rutland

Rutland

Rutland is a Counties of England of mainland England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire, and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
with 34,563. However, these are outliers, and most English unitary authorities have a population in the range of 150,000 to 300,000. The smallest non-unitary district in England is Teesdale

Teesdale (district)

Teesdale is a Non-metropolitan district in County Durham, England. Its council is based in Barnard Castle. It is the valley of the River Tees....
at 24,457 people, and the largest Northampton

Northampton

Northampton is a large market town and Non-metropolitan district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene....
at 194,458. However, all but 9 non-unitary English districts have fewer than 150,000 people. Responsibility for minor revisions to local government areas falls to the Boundary Committee for England

Boundary Committee for England

The Boundary Committee for England is an independent body in England responsible for defining borders for local elections; and for conducting reviews of local government areas....
. Revisions are usually undertaken to avoid borders straddling new development, to bring them back into line with a diverted watercourse

Watercourse

A watercourse is any flowing body of water. These include rivers, streams, brooks, anabranches et cetera....
, or to align them with roads or other features.

Where a district is coterminous with a town, the name is an easy choice to make. In some cases, a district is named after its main town, despite there being other towns in the district. Confusingly, such districts sometimes have city status

List of cities in the United Kingdom

This is a list of cities in the United Kingdom, as of 2008. Cities which have held such status since time immemorial are indicated with TI in the column headed Year granted city status....
, and so for example the City of Canterbury

City of Canterbury

The City of Canterbury is a Non-metropolitan district with List of cities in the United Kingdom in Kent, England. The main settlement in the district is Canterbury, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury....
contains several towns apart from Canterbury

Canterbury

Canterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, which have distinct identities. Similarly Chester contains a number of large villages and extensive countryside, which is quite distinct from the main settlement of Chester

Chester

Chester is the county town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, Wales, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider local government district of the Chester , which had a population of 118,210 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001....
. They can be named after traditional subdivisions (Spelthorne

Spelthorne

Spelthorne is a Non-metropolitan district and borough in Surrey, England. It includes the towns of Ashford, Surrey, Laleham, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell and Sunbury-on-Thames....
), rivers (Eden

Eden, Cumbria

Eden is a Non-metropolitan district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Penrith, Cumbria. It is named after the River Eden, Cumbria which flows north through the district toward Carlisle....
, Arun

Arun

Arun is a Districts of England in West Sussex, England. The district is named for the River Arun. Its main towns are Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
), a modified version of their main town's name (Harborough

Harborough

Harborough is a Non-metropolitan district of Leicestershire, England, named after its main town, Market Harborough. Covering 230 square miles, the District is by far the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the County....
, Wycombe

Wycombe

Wycombe is a Non-metropolitan district in Buckinghamshire in south central England. It is administered by Wycombe District Council in the town of High Wycombe....
), or after a geographical feature in the district (Cotswold

Cotswold (district)

Cotswold is a Non-metropolitan district in Gloucestershire in England. It is named after the wider Cotswolds region. Its main town is Cirencester....
, Cannock Chase

Cannock Chase (district)

Cannock Chase is a Non-metropolitan district in England. It covers part of Cannock Chase forest and the towns of Cannock, Rugeley and Hednesford....
). Purely geographical names can also be used (South Bucks

South Bucks

South Bucks is one of four Non-metropolitan district in the non-metropolitan county of Buckinghamshire, in South East England England.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, by the amalgamation of the area of Beaconsfield urban district with part of Eton Rural District....
, Suffolk Coastal

Suffolk Coastal

Suffolk Coastal is a Non-metropolitan district in Suffolk, England. Its council is based in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Other towns include Felixstowe....
, North West Leicestershire

North West Leicestershire

North West Leicestershire is a Non-metropolitan district in Leicestershire, England. Its main towns are Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Coalville.It contains East Midlands Airport, which has flights to the rest of Britain and various places in Europe....
). Councils have a general power to change the name of the district, and consequently their own name, under section 74 of the Local Government Act 1972

Local Government Act 1972

The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in the United Kingdom in England and Wales, on 1 April 1974....
. Such a resolution must have two thirds of the votes at a meeting convened for the purpose.

Councils of counties are called "X County Council", whereas district councils can be District Council, Borough Council, or City Council depending upon the status of the district. Unitary authorities may be called County Councils, Borough Councils, City Councils, District Councils, or sometimes just Councils. These names do not change the role or authority of the council.

Greater London is further divided into 32 London borough

London borough

The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London....
s, each governed by a London Borough Council, and the City of London

City of London

The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew....
, which is governed by the City of London Corporation. In the London boroughs the legal entity is not the Council as elsewhere but the inhabitants incorporated as a legal entity by royal charter

Royal Charter

A royal charter is a charter granted by a Monarch to create institutions or other forms of incorporated bodies . In the United Kingdom legal tradition a royal charter is in the form of letters patent....
(a process abolished elsewhere in England and Wales under the Local Government Act 1972). Thus, a London authority's official legal title is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of X" (or "The Lord Mayor and Citizens of the City of Westminster"). In common speech, however, "The London Borough of X" is used.

Metropolitan counties have no county councils and are divided into metropolitan districts whose councils have either the status of City Council or Metropolitan Borough Council.

Some districts are Royal boroughs, but this does not affect the name of the council.

Special arrangements

Joint arrangements

Local authorities sometimes provide services on a joint basis with other authorities, through bodies known as joint-boards. Joint-boards are not directly elected but are made up of councillors appointed from the authorities which are covered by the service. Typically, joint-boards are created to avoid splitting up certain services when unitary authorities are created, or a county or regional council is abolished. In other cases, if several authorities are considered too small (in terms of either geographic size or population) to run a service effectively by themselves, joint-boards are established. Typical services run by joint-boards include policing

Police

Police are agents or agencies, usually of the executive , empowered to enforce the law and to ensure public and social order through the legitimized use of force....
, fire services, public transport

Public transport

Public transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire....
and sometimes waste disposal authorities.

If a county is too small to justify its own police force, a joint police force is used which covers several counties; for example, the West Mercia Constabulary

West Mercia Constabulary

West Mercia Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the counties of Shropshire , Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England....
covers Shropshire

Shropshire

Shropshire , alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated, in print only, Shrops, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England....
, Telford and Wrekin

Telford and Wrekin

Telford and Wrekin is a unitary authority districts of England with borough status in the West Midlands of England. The district was created in 1974 as The Wrekin, then a non-metropolitan district of Shropshire....
, Herefordshire

Herefordshire

Herefordshire is a Historic counties of England and Ceremonial counties of England Counties of England in the West Midlands Regions of England of England....
and Worcestershire

Worcestershire

Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands of central England. From 1974 to 1998 it was administered as part of Hereford and Worcester....
. In the six metropolitan counties

Metropolitan county

The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million....
, the metropolitan borough

Metropolitan borough

A metropolitan borough is a type of districts of England in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted royal charters to give them borough status in...
councils also appoint members to joint county-wide Passenger Transport Authorities

Passenger Transport Executive

In the United Kingdom, passenger transport executives are Local government in the United Kingdom bodies which are responsible for public transport within large urban areas....
to oversee public transport

Public transport

Public transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire....
, and joint waste disposal authorities, which were created after the county councils were abolished.

Joint-boards were used extensively in Greater London

Greater London

Greater London Council

The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area....
was abolished, to avoid splitting up some London-wide services. These functions have now been taken over by the Greater London Authority

Greater London Authority

Berkshire

Berkshire is a Home Counties in the South East England of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters patent issued confirming...
, where the county council has been abolished. If a joint body is legally required to exist, it is known as a joint-board. However, local authorities sometimes create joint bodies voluntarily and these are known as joint-committees.

City of London Corporation

The City of London

City of London

London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
. It is governed by the City of London Corporation, which has a unique structure. The Corporation has been broadly untouched by local government reforms and democratisation. The business vote was abolished for other parts of the country in 1969, but due to the low resident population of the City this was thought impractical. In fact, the business vote was recently extended in the City to cover more companies.

Future

The Government released a Local Government White Paper on 26 October 2006, Strong and Prosperous Communities, which deals with the structure of local government. The White Paper does not deal with the issues of local government funding or of reform or replacement of the Council Tax

Council tax

Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country....
, which is awaiting the final report of the Lyons Review. A Local Government Bill has been introduced in the 2006–2007 session of Parliament. The White Paper emphasises the concept of "double devolution", with more powers being granted to councils, and powers being devolved from town halls to community levels. It proposes to reduce the level of central government oversight over local authorities by removing centrally set performance targets, and statutory controls of the Secretary of State over parish councils, bye-laws, and electoral arrangements.

The white paper proposed that the existing prohibition on parish council

Civil parish

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a civil parish is usually the lowest unit of local government, below district and county councils....
s in Greater London

Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
will be abolished, and making new parishes easier to set up. Parish councils can currently be styled parish councils, town councils or city councils: the White Paper proposes that "community council", "neighbourhood council" and "village council" may be used as well. The White Paper proposes to strengthen the council executives, and provides an option between a directly elected mayor, a directly-elected executive, or an indirectly elected leader – all with a fixed 4-year term. It promises that the Department for Transport will put forward proposals for a reform of the Passenger Transport Authorities. The white paper allows for structural changes to local government in England

2009 structural changes to local government in England

It is planned that during 2009 there will be structural changes to local government in England, whereby a number of new unitary authority will be created in parts of the country which currently operate a 'two-tier' system of Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Districts of England....
and consensus-based proposals for unitary authority status, were asked to be submitted before 25 January 2007.

A report released by the IPPR

Institute for Public Policy Research

The Institute for Public Policy Research is a United Kingdom think-tank with strong ties to the Labour Party that claims to produce progressive ideas committed to upholding values of social justice, democracy and environmental sustainability....
's Centre for Cities in February 2006, City Leadership: giving city regions the power to grow, proposed the creation of two large city-regions based on Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853....
and Birmingham

Birmingham

West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
metropolitan county, along with Bromsgrove

Bromsgrove (district)

Bromsgrove is a Districts of England in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Bromsgrove.Other places in the district include Aston Fields, Blakedown, Catshill, Hagley and Stoke Prior....
, Cannock Chase

Cannock Chase (district)

Cannock Chase is a Non-metropolitan district in England. It covers part of Cannock Chase forest and the towns of Cannock, Rugeley and Hednesford....
, Lichfield

Lichfield (district)

Lichfield is a Non-metropolitan district in Staffordshire, England. Its council is based in the City of Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in its town council , and not the District Council which covers nearly 25 times this area....
, North Warwickshire

North Warwickshire

North Warwickshire is a Non-metropolitan district and borough in Warwickshire, England. The main town in the district is Atherstone where the council is based....
, Redditch

Redditch

Redditch is a town and Non-metropolitan district in north-east Worcestershire, England. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005....
and Tamworth

Tamworth

Tamworth is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Staffordshire, England, located 14 miles north-east of Birmingham city centre and 103 miles north-west of London....
, while the Manchester one would cover the existing Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
along with the borough of Macclesfield

Macclesfield (borough)

Macclesfield is a Non-metropolitan district, borough and Macclesfield in Cheshire England. It includes the towns of Bollington, Knutsford, Macclesfield and Wilmslow and its wide area includes the villages and hamlets of Adlington, Cheshire, Disley, Gawsworth, Hurdsfield, Kerridge, Pott Shrigley, Poynton, Prestbury, Cheshire, Rainow, Styal,...
. No firm proposals of this sort appear in the White Paper. Reportedly, this had been the subject of an internal dispute within the government.

External links

– National policies affecting local government
– News updates on UK local government
– LGA and related bodies
report from BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 is a domestic UK radio station that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history....
File on Four
– Glossary of local government terms.

Local government in the United Kingdom

Subdivisions

Principal authorities

Parishes and communities

History

People

Councillors and mayors

Elections

Officers

Functions and powers

Funding

Boundaries and names

Special arrangements

Joint arrangements

City of London Corporation

Future

See also

External links