Local Government in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch. A king or queen, at present Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state.A prime minister, at present the Right Honourable MP David Cameron, is the head of government.

The United Kingdom doesn't have a single, written constitution. The British Constitution is a set of rules of government. Some of the rules are about procedures such as how often elections must be held. Others are concerned with the amount of power held by the government – specifying what the government can or cannot do.

A Country with Four Nations

England and Wales were united in 1542; England and Scotland in 1707; Britain and Ireland in 1801 until the Republic of Ireland was established in the Southern part of the ‘Green Island’ in 1922.

Although it presents itself as a ‘unitary state’ the UK recognises four legal systems for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland which express clear differences in law, organisation and practice.

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Regions with a Special Status

On top of the four regions-nations, the UK owns other regions with a special legal status on the European continent :

Gibraltar, one of the 14 British Overseas Territories (British Overseas Territories Act, 2002)

The Channel Islands The Isle of Man

These latter are both British Crown Dependencies. They are not part of the UK. Only Gibraltar is and so of the European Union.

Source : http://skvots.net/find-traveling-gibraltar.html

Gilbraltar was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) that put an end to the War of Spanish Succession and established the Bourbon dynasty in Spain.  The ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ governs its own affairs, though some powers, such as defence and foreign relations, remain the responsibility of the UK Government. Being part of the United kingdom, a British overseas territory, it is part of the European Union Gibraltarians rejected proposals for British and Spanish joint sovereignty by referendum (1967 and 2002)  Area : 2.6 sq. km (1.0 sq mi)Population : 27 614 inhabitants

Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom nor of the European Union. They are dependent territories of the English Crown, as successor to the Dukes of Normandy :http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandCrowndependencies/ChannelIslands.aspx

Total area: 194 sq.kmTotal population: 158 000 inhabitantsGuernsey 78 sq. Km; 64,587 inhabitants Jersey 116 sq. Km; 89,775 inhabitants

The Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom nor of the European Union. It is a self-governing British Crown Dependency.

While it is not recognised as an independent state it is clearly autonomous politically, economically and fiscally.

Area: 572 sq.km Population: 73 873 inhabitants

source :www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandCrowndependencies/Isleofman.aspx

The Four Nations of the United Kingdom

Nation Population (millions)

Area (sq. km)

England 51.1 130,281

Scotland 5.1 77,925

Wales 3.0 20,732

Northern Ireland

1.8 13,576

Source: Office for National Statistics; National Assembly for Wales; General Register Office for Scotland; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (up-dated, January 2008)

A Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and each devolved regional government states:

• The Parliament of the United Kingdom retains authority to legislate on any issue, whether devolved or not.

• It is ultimately for Parliament to decide what use to make of that power. However, the UK Government will proceed in accordance with the convention that the UK Parliament would not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters except with the agreement of the devolved legislature.

• The devolved administrations will be responsible for seeking such agreement as may be required for this purpose on an approach from the UK Government.

Constitutional Restrictions to Devolved Powers

Main Characteristics of Central-Local Government

Relationships Public administration, both central or local, has been

deeply reformed on many occasions since the end of the Second World War.

Whitehall central government departments are mainly

based in London and have never been ‘deconcentrated’ to England.

English local authorities are directly controlled and overviewed by central government, mainly by the Department in charge of local authorities.

On the contrary since the devolution reform in the ‘Celtic periphery’ local government structure and control are in the remits of the Regional executive powers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A Long Story of Successive Reforms (I)

Main Conservative reforms (1979-1997)

The two-tier unified system with metropolitan or non metropolitan counties and districts (1972-) is shattered:

Metropolitan county councils and Greater London County Council are abolished (1985). Only the non-metropolitan district (borough) and county councils remain.

The single tier system (unitary councils) is imposed on Scotland and Wales (1996) but hardly gains support in England where . A two-tiered structure still exist along unitary councils.

Local services are contracted-out and private sector management influences the management of local authorities

A Long Story of Successive Reforms (II)

Main Labour Reforms (1997-2010)

Devolution to the Celtic periphery : local government under regional assemblies’ control in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (1997)

Greater London Authority with a directly elected mayor and an elected assembly (1999)

Proposed directly elected mayors for unitary councils in England (Local Government Act, 2000)

In England : Regional council reform fails to pass in the North-East (Regional Referendum, 2004). Regional (non directly elected) assemblies, based on Regional Government Offices abolished in England (2010)

A Long Story of Successive Reforms (III) Main Conservative and Liberal-Democrat Coalition

Reforms (2010- ?) for England only :

Abolition of Regional Development Agencies (2010)

Abolition of Regional (non directly elected) Assemblies in England, based on Regional Government Offices (2010). Regional Government Offices are abolished too (2010)

After a one-year long debate in Parliament the Localism Bill is finally voted (November 2011) : ‘This Bill will shift power from central government back into the hands of individuals,

communities and councils’. (Source: http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/decentralisation/localismbill )

Various responsibilities for the delivery of various services (I)

Service fourni Comté District Conseil Unitaire/

Métropolitain/ London Borough

Architecture, Building and Development X X X X

Art galeries and museums X X

Building control X X X

Car-parks ( off roads) X X X X

Car-parks (on road)s X X X

Cimeteries X X X X

Economic Development X X X X

Education X X X

Community Health X X X

Fire Services X X X

Major Roads X X X

Various Responsibilities for the Delivery of various services (II)

Service provided County District Metropolitan/Unitary London Borough

HousingX X X

Leisure and SportsX X X

LibrariesX X

Parcs and open spaces X X

Development (local) X X X

Development (strategy) X X

Police Services X X X

Roads and Pedestrian walk-ways X

Social Services X X X

•NB : Tables I and II only relate to England, Wales and Scotland and not to Northern IrelandSource : http://www.lgcareers.com/what-is-local-government/facts-and-figures/types-of-council

Conclusion… An unreadable system evolving towards localism ?

A system based on historical divides

A system that is flexible, easy to reform by the majority group in Parliament since local authorities have no constitutional protection

A system under tight control and political influence of the British Government (in England) or of the regional executive powers (in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

A system to be reformed nearly every ten years; based on a quest for efficiency in the delivery of localservices not on territorial identity. The local government structure varies according places in England (with one or two tiers of government) but has been simplefied (with unitary authorities) in the Celtic periphery.