Responsibilities of Local Authorities

Single tier authorities provide all local authority services to the population in their area. These services include:

• Education
• Social services
• Planning
• Waste disposal, recycling and collection
• Trading standards
• Emergency planning
• Roads, highways and transportation
• Housing
• Environmental Health
• Parks, open spaces and countryside
• Markets and fairs

  In two-tier structures responsibility is split between the two levels with around 80% of the services being provided at the county level and the rest at the district. The split in service provision between the two is broadly:

  Counties

• Education
• Social services
• Farming/Agricultural tenancy
• Trading standards
• Waste disposal

  District

• [being developed]

  Parish

• [being developed]

The type of authority will vary in each area and whilst there aren’t absolute criteria to determine which types will be where, the general pattern is that large urban areas are most likely to be represented by single tier authorities whilst two-tier authorities are more likely exist in rural areas. Where they exist, Town and Parish councils stand within larger local authorities which provide most of the services. These smaller councils however can provide local services such as community groups, arts and leisure facilities, parks and play areas. Some may be involved with construction and maintenance and repairs.

Some authorities have retained the provision and management of Social Housing directly by their own in-house staff and a number of authorities have devolved their housing services to Housing Associations [HA] or to an Arms Length Management Organisations [ALMO]. Although these changes shift the management control, the provision and management of Social Housing is still regarded as a pivotal part of local community services and a major cost.