A county council in the UK plays important administration and economic roles. The local government is delegated with the duty of providing quality education, maintain highways, social care, waste management, and transport planning.
However, not many people understand the responsibility or the structure of the local government. Therefore, reading through this post will enlighten you about everything you want to learn about UK county councils.
Councillors
Members of the county assembly are elected by people within the defined areas. The representatives serve a four-year term, with a chance of extending the period if reelected. The county representatives are required to balance the interest of voters, councils, political parties and residents. At a county level, the representatives handle policy matters, including changing, creating new and implementing policies.
The Structure of the Local Government
In England, the local government entails of districts and counties. Responsibilities of the regions are divided between the two administration arms. The county government covers the whole county and offer more than three-quarters of services in the county. Nevertheless, within the same county, there are several districts. The district council covers its area and specializes with local services.
How are the Local Governments Run Financially
In England, the county governments account for almost 25% of public expenditures. Therefore, the administrators require a lot of funds to manage the counties. The expenditures are divided into revenue and capital expenses. Highlighted below are some ways the government raises development funds.
- Central Government
The national government provides counties with grants that are worth 52% of redistributed rates. Therefore, the counties that collect and generate more revenues have the chance of getting a bigger share to sustain their economy. For example, if a given county garners 100,000, it will receive a grant of 52,000 from the central government.
- Revenue
Most counties rely on revenue collection since it also affects the share they get from the central arm. Council tax is one of the ways they collect money. This tax is collected from local residents and other people paying taxes in the county. Business rates income is other sources of revenue. Car parks, hired facilities, and licenses fees are other sources of revenue.