LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND
The distribution of local government functions varies according to the local arrangements. Up to three layers of elected local authorities (County, District and Parish Councils) exist throughout all parts of the United Kingdom, in some places merged into Unitary Authorities. They have limited local tax-raising powers. HM Government has substantial influence over local and other authorities by financial powers and grants.
Structure of local government in England
For local government, England is divided into counties, districts and parishes. The are two types of structure:
Areas with a two-tier structure of counties and districts governed each with a county and district level of local government; and
Unitary authority areas where there is one level of local authority, combining the functions of the county and its districts.
Within districts there may be parishes with councils. Parishes cover only part of England, corresponding to 35% of the population. However the number of parishes and total area parished is growing.
Most of the geographical area of England is within a two-tier non-metropolitan arrangement. In these areas the county councils provide the majority of services, including education and social services, and the district councils have a more limited role. Non-metropolitan districts can additionally have the status of borough or city, although this has no effect on their powers or functions.
In this two-tier system, county councils are responsible for some local services, such as education, social services, and roads, whilst district councils run other services, such as waste collection, local planning, and council housing.
Buckinghamshire is a non-metropolitan county with a county council and 4 district councils (Wycombe, Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, and South Bucks).
Wycombe District Council is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.
Buckinghamshire County Council is responsible for running the larger and expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing (through participating in the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel) and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning, emergency planning, adult care and child protection.
The civil parish is the most local unit of government. A parish is governed by a parish council or parish meeting, which exercises a limited number of functions that would otherwise be delivered by the local authority.
A civil parish can alternatively be known as a town, village, neighbourhood or community by resolution of its parish council.
In places where there is no civil parish, the administration of the activities normally undertaken by the parish becomes the responsibility of the district or borough council. In High Wycombe, councillors elected in the unparished centre of the town are Chartered Trustees. The Chartered Trustees are responsible for ceremonial duties and elect the Mayor each year. They also are ex-officio members of the Town Committee.
Typical activities undertaken by parish or town councils include:
- The provision and upkeep of certain local facilities such as allotments, bus shelters, parks, playgrounds, public seats, public toilets, public clocks, street lights, village or town halls, and various leisure and recreation facilities.
- Maintenance of footpaths, cemeteries and village greens
- Since 1997 parish councils have had new powers to provide community transport (such as a minibus), crime prevention measures (such as CCTV) and to contribute money towards traffic calming schemes.
- Parish councils are supposed to act as a channel of local opinion to larger local government bodies, and as such have the right to be consulted on any planning decisions affecting the parish.
- Giving of grants to local voluntary organisations, and sponsoring public events..
Parish councils receive funding by levying a "precept" on the council tax paid by the residents of the parish.
Parish councils are run by volunteer councillors who are elected to serve for four years and are not paid.