How councils came to be
Types of local authority and council structures.
- Level
- Bitesize
- Learning time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Where
- Foundations of Local Government
- Price
- £39
When you step up to a higher level, what you paid in the last 12 months for lower-level courses inside the bigger course comes off its price, in proportion to how much of each is inside it, whichever topic it's from. Courses at the same or a lower level don't give credit against each other. A Focus course or above always costs at least £15. Read the full terms
Certificate of Completion
Overview and Outcomes.
Overview
Local government touches every resident every day, yet it is often invisible until something goes wrong. This module sets out the scale and breadth of what councils deliver, traces nearly two centuries of reform from the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 through the 1972 Act, the Banham Commission and the Localism Act 2011, and explains the enduring case for local delivery, illustrated by the Isle of Wight. Every council calls itself a council, yet structure and governance vary widely. This module maps the two tier system, the three routes to unitary status, combined and mayoral strategic authorities, and parish and town councils, then compares the three governance models set by the Local Government Act 2000 and Localism Act 2011. A case study from Folkestone and Hythe shows how structure and governance interact.
What you'll develop
In this Bitesize, you will develop the ability to:
- Explain the scale and breadth of what English councils deliver, using the four service categories of caring, educating and housing, shaping places and everyday essentials.
- Describe the landmark reforms from 1835 to 2011 and explain how each one shaped today's council map.
- Apply the four principles of local delivery, subsidiarity, local knowledge, accountability and tailored response, to current reorganisation and devolution debates.
- Distinguish two tier, unitary, combined authority and parish arrangements and identify which council delivers a given service in each.
- Compare the leader and cabinet, committee system and directly elected mayor models, including the different position in Wales.
The Modules.
1 hour 30 minutes of learning.
- 01What Local Government Is and How It Got HereLocal government touches every resident every day, yet it is often invisible until something goes wrong. This module sets out the scale and breadth of what councils deliver, traces nearly two centuries of reform from the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 through the 1972 Act, the Banham Commission and the Localism Act 2011, and explains the enduring case for local delivery, illustrated by the Isle of Wight.43 min
- 02Types of Local Government and Models of AuthorityEvery council calls itself a council, yet structure and governance vary widely. This module maps the two tier system, the three routes to unitary status, combined and mayoral strategic authorities, and parish and town councils, then compares the three governance models set by the Local Government Act 2000 and Localism Act 2011. A case study from Folkestone and Hythe shows how structure and governance interact.39 min
Keep going.
Part of the Foundations of Local Government topic, also sold whole as How councils work.
Go deeper, and pay only the difference
- You are hereBitesize, 1 hour 30 minutes, £39
- The whole topicFocus, How councils work, 4 hours, £69. Already own the Bitesize? You pay £30.
When you step up to a higher level, what you paid in the last 12 months for lower-level courses inside the bigger course comes off its price, in proportion to how much of each is inside it, whichever topic it's from. Courses at the same or a lower level don't give credit against each other. A Focus course or above always costs at least £15. Prices per person. Read the full terms
Also part of: Serving your community well, Your first days in office, Working with politicians
