Local Government in the United Kingdom

Helen Ball BA (Hons) FILCMTown Clerk

Beverley Town Council, East Yorkshire, UK

Local Government in the UK

• What is Local Government about?• What it delivers?• How Parish & Town Council are

involved in Local Government?• How does a Town Clerk fit in?• Sharing best practice?

How do we get from Whitehall to Beverley?

10 Downing Street, London

County Hall, Beverley

What is Local Government?

Local Government is the way in which the country’s

governance & administration is carried

out and its public services delivered

Local Government Objectives

• Delivery of national objectives• Using National & Local resources to meet the diverse

requirements of different neighbourhoods & communities

About securing a strategy for the local community, delivering the right outcomes by

managing and using its assets effectively, working with central government as well as

with local communities and local businesses in its area

Central Government

• National Health Service• Social Benefits & Pensions• Defence• Further/Higher Education• Sets National Policy

Regional Government

• 9 Regions• Scotland, Wales &

Northern Ireland (self governed)

• Government Offices

• Regional Development Agencies

Constitutional Arrangements of Local Government

Varies across the Country• Shire Counties• Shire Districts• Metropolitan Districts• Government Offices in the Regions• Parish & Town Council• Single Purpose Authorities

Many Shire Districts/Counties are becoming Unitary Authorities

London

• London Boroughs • City of London• Greater London Authority

Directly Elected Mayor of London– Metropolitan Police Authority– London Fire & Emergency Planning

Authority– Transport for London– London Development Agency

What Local Government does?

Education• Schools• Pre-school• Adult Education• Youth Services

Transport• Highways• Streetlighting• Traffic Management & Parking• Public Transport• Airports & Harbours

Social Services• Children & Family Services• Fostering & Adoption• Youth Justice• Services for the Elderly• Services for people with Learning Disabilities

Housing• Council Housing• Benefits & Welfare

Planning• Building & Development Control• Planning Policy• Conservation Areas/Listed Buildings• Economic Development

Cultural Services• Archives/Museums/Art Galleries• Parks & Open Spaces• Allotments• Libraries• Sport• Tourism

Environment • Cemeteries/Crematoria/Mortuaries• Consumer Protection• Environmental Health – Food/Pest/Pollution• Licensing• Toilets• Waste Collection & Disposal• Street Cleansing

Protective Services• Police• Fire• Courts

Other• Tax Collection• Registration of Births, Marriages & Deaths• Elections• Emergency Planning

Who Does What?Metropolitan Areas Shire Counties London

Metropolitan District

Councils

Single Purpose

Authorities

County Councils

District Councils

Unitary Authorities

Single Purpose

Authorities

City of London

London Borough Councils

Greater London

Authority

Education        

Highways      

Transport      

Passenger Transport          

Social Services        

Housing        

Libraries/Museums        

Leisure/Recreation        

Environmental Health        

Waste Collection        

Waste Disposal        

Development Control        

Strategic Planning      

Police          

Fire          

Courts            

Taxation        

Spending

Local Authority Funding Breakdown

Police9%

Fire2%

Central 5%

Other4%

Social Services16%

Education31%

Transport7%

Culture, Environment,

Planning11%

Housing15%

Parish & Town Councils

• 8700 Parish Council• 400 are Town Councils• 1500 Parish Meetings• 70,000 Parish Councillors

• Have limited Duties but Extensive Powers

Powers & Duties of Parish Councils

Highways

Byelaws

Footpaths

Street Lights

Car Parking

Traffic Calming

Transport

Bus Shelters

Community Transport

Leisure/Recreation

Conference Facilities

Parks / Playing Fields

Commons / Open Spaces

Boating Lakes

Community Centre / Village Halls

Environmental Health

Allotments

Clocks

Litter Bins

Seats

Toilets

Burial Grounds / Crematoria / Mortuaries

War Memorial Halls

Markets

Development Control

Planning Applications

Strategic Planning

Parish & Town Plans

Tourism

Yorkshire & Humber Region

• 5million population• £78billion turnover• Home of Walmart-UK• Famous Yorkshiremen

– Patrick Stewart– Captain Cook– Guy Fawkes– Mel B (Spice Girls)

• 21 Local Authorities• 1200 Parish & Town

Councils

East Riding of Yorkshire

• 168 Parish & Town Councils

• Beverley is the County Town of East Yorkshire

• East Riding of Yorkshire Council based in Beverley

Parish Council Services

Stroud Town Council, Gloucestershire

Barby & Onley Parish Council, Northamptonshire

Forest Row Parish Council, East Sussex

Heath Hayes & Wimblebury Parish Council, Staffordshire

Activities Beverley Town Council

The Role of the Town Clerk

• Proper Officer of the Council

• Professional Advice on the laws of governance

• Implements Council Decisions

• Financial Administrator

• Community Advocate

• “Jack of all Trades!”

Fun Side of being a Town Clerk

Categories of Young People in the UK

Active Engagement with Young People

• Tomorrow’s Guardians of your Town• Large proportion of your population• They have an opinion• They have a tough time

• Youth Workers• Skateparks/Play Parks• Youth Council

Young People in Beverley

Helen Ball BA (Hons) FILCMTown Clerk

Beverley Town Council12 Well Lane, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 9BL

Tel +44 1482 874096clerk@beverley.gov.ukwww.beverley.gov.uk